Gibson v. State Accident Insurance Fund

This is an appeal by the State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF) from an order of the Workers’ Compensation Board (Board) holding a claim compensable and ordering SAIF to pay penalties and attorneys fees to the claimant because of unreasonable delay in issuing its denial and because of failure to pay compensation for the period between the claimed injury and the denial.

On June 2, 1976, claimant had an episode of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation while on his job as an asphalt raker for the City of Portland. He was taken to a hospital, treated briefly in the emergency room and released. His treating…