Montana Workers’ Compensation Court
No new enumerated decisions this period.
Montana Workers’ Compensation Stipulations Summary (through Jan. 1, 2026
PLAN 1
No approved stipulations for Plan 1 carriers for this period.
PLAN 2
No approved stipulations for Plan 2 carriers for this period.
PLAN 3
No approved stipulations for Plan 3 (Montana State Fund) for this period.
ESD Settlements Approved through 12/22/2025
Plan 1
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Quinn, Daniel | 3/23/2022 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Settlement – Medical Closed | $50,000.00 | Huppert, Andrew |
Plan 2
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Schriver, Larry | 10/3/2022 | Elbow | Petition for Settlement – Medical Closed | $101,556.00 | |
| Unger, David | 12/9/2024 | Multiple Body Parts | Petition for Best Interest | $35,000.00 |
Plan 3
| Claimant Name | DOI | Body Part | Settlement Type | Settlement Amount | Attorney Name |
| Blair, Robert | 3/12/2024 | Skull | Petition for Best Interest | $70,000.00 | |
| Bullcalf, Wade | 2/22/2024 | Finger(s) | Petition for Best Interest | $30,000.00 | |
| Burckhard, Dustin | 5/25/2024 | Foot | Petition for Best Interest | $75,000.00 | |
| Salminen, William | 6/27/1986 | Lower Back Area | Petition for Best Interest | $75,000.00 | Salminen, Vincent |
| Syrjaca, Timothy | 9/11/2024 | Soft Tissue | Petition for Settlement – Medical Reserved | $78,000.00 | Helmer, Chris |
5 Key Insights for Montana Work Comp Professionals
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No Court-Approved Stipulations Across All Plans
For the reporting period through January 1, 2026, no stipulations were approved by the Montana Workers’ Compensation Court for Plan 1, Plan 2, or Plan 3 carriers. This is likely attributable to the holidays.
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All Settlement Activity Occurred Through the ESD Process
Despite the absence of court stipulations, ESD settlements were actively approved across all three plans, reinforcing the ESD process as the primary settlement mechanism during this period. This highlights the continued importance of administrative settlement pathways over formal court resolution.
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Plan 3 (State Fund) Accounts for the Majority of Settlements
Plan 3 claims represent four of the seven total ESD settlements, covering a wide range of injury types (skull, fingers, foot, soft tissue, and lumbar spine). This concentration suggests:
- Higher settlement throughput within the State Fund, and/or
- Greater reliance on Best Interest settlements for Plan 3 claim resolution.
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Best Interest Settlements Appear to Dominate Over Medical Closure (but not really)
Most settlements—particularly in Plans 2 and 3—were approved as Petitions for Best Interest, rather than full medical closures. This likely just a feature of the reporting data or interchangeable nature of the terms.
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Settlement Values Vary Widely, Reflecting Injury Complexity
Approved settlement amounts range from $30,000 to $101,556, with higher values associated with:
- Multiple body parts
- Head or spinal injuries
- Reserved or ongoing medical considerations
This underscores that injury complexity and future care risk continue to be the primary drivers of settlement valuation, rather than plan type alone.
