Baptist Medical Center of Oklahoma, Inc. v. Aguirre

OPALA, Justice.

The dispositive issue on certiorari is whether the district court must defer to the Workers’ Compensation Court [WC court] the tendered issue of an injured worker’s liability for medical bills incurred in treatment of a compensable injury when the latter tribunal’s jurisdiction is invoked during the pendency of a health care provider’s [district court] action for recovery on open account against the worker. We answer in the affirmative.

I

THE ANATOMY OF LITIGATION

Indalecio Aguirre [Aguirre, injured worker or worker] was injured on November 18, 1993 and treated at the Baptist…