Liberty Northwest Insurance v. Watkins

In this workers’ compensation case, insurer petitions for review of a final order by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) upholding the awarding of attorney fees against insurer. The award of attorney fees stems from proceedings to resolve a medical services dispute following the entry of a claim disposition agreement (CDA). We review for errors of law, ORS 656.298(7) and ORS 183.482(8), and reverse and remand.

We take the facts from the final DCBS order. On June 13, 2000, claimant suffered a compensable back injury resulting in partial paralysis of his lower…