Argonaut Insurance Co. v. Labor & Industry Review Commission

Argonaut Insurance Company appeals from a judgment affirming an order of the Labor and Industry Review Commission. The commission's order confirmed an award of worker's compensation benefits to Luthresa N. Johnson for a permanent total disability. While the parties raise several issues on appeal, we consider one to be dispositive: did the hearing examiner abuse her discretion in denying Argonaut's request to postpone the hearing to permit it to obtain an independent medical examination? We answer the question in the affirmative and reverse.

The facts are not in dispute. Johnson, a nursing home…