Yesterday, the Alaska Workers Compensation Board handed down an opinion in Baker v Pro West Contractors and Liberty Northwest, Decision No 15-0069 (6/16/15), slamming Liberty Northwest (LNW) for its treatment of an Employee. In that case, I had negotiated a settlement with LNW by which it agreed to pay all of the Employee's medical bills for his work injury. Then LNW didn't pay them. It tried to negotiate the bills and when the providers wouldn't accept less than what was owed, they just didn't pay the bill. Then the providers came after the Employee again for payment of the bills.
I filed a Claim against LNW which went to hearing on 3/19/15. In its defense, LNW claimed that it didn't agree to pay the bills, only to repay the Employee for any bills he had paid. (The bills were well over $100,000). That is not the law.
In yesterday's decision, the Board held that the employee was entitled to have the bills paid and the providers were entitled to be paid with penalties. The decision can be found on the Alaska Workers Compensation Board's website: http://uiappeals.labor.alaska.gov/SearchRoot/workcomp/search.htm.
I have practiced Workers Compensation law in the State of Alaska for over 30 years and have dedicated my practice to representing injured Alaskans handling hundreds of cases in Workers Compensation cases. www.keenanpowell.com.
All consultations are free. To make an appointment, use the contact form on this website or call: 907 258 7663.