Kahl v. Minnesota Wood Specialty, Inc.

ROGOSHESKE, Justice.

The narrow issue presented by these proceedings initiated in this court for a writ of prohibition is whether, in a workers’ compensation proceeding to impose a penalty for unreasonably and vexatiously delaying payment pursuant to Minn.St. 176.225, an employer-insurer is precluded from asserting the attorney-client privilege. We hold that the applicable provisions of our workers’ compensation laws do not abrogate the common-law privilege reiterated in § 595.-02(2) and that it may be asserted to prevent disclosure of any communications falling within the purpose and scope of…