Cole v. Ketchikan Pulp Co.

OPINION

RABINOWITZ, Justice.

I. BACKGROUND

Bruce Cole (Cole) suffered a back injury on August 31, 1982 while working for Ket-chikan Pulp Company (Ketchikan Pulp). Cole was paid disability compensation benefits for a period of time until disputes between the parties resulted in his benefits being terminated.

In January 1988, Cole’s attorney, Phillip Pallenberg (Pallenberg), offered to settle Cole’s claims for $150,000 plus statutory attorney’s fees. Ketchikan Pulp’s attor ney, Paul Hoffman (Hoffman), made a counteroffer of $30,000 plus statutory attorney’s fees. The parties were not able to reach…