Case Name: Wilton KING, Jr., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1989-12-13
Citations: 553 So. 2d 1072
Docket Number: No. 88-872
Parties: Wilton KING, Jr., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee.
Judges: Before DOMENGEAUX, YELVERTON and KING, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 553
Pages: 1072–1076

Head Matter:
Wilton KING, Jr., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee.
No. 88-872.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.
Dec. 13, 1989.
Felix A. De Jean, III, Opelousas, for plaintiff-appellant.
Dauzat, Falgoust, Steven Bienvenu, Opelousas, for defendant-appellee.
Before DOMENGEAUX, YELVERTON and KING, JJ.

Opinion:
DOMENGEAUX, Judge.
Wilton King, Jr. filed this workers' compensation suit against Travelers Insurance Company, seeking attorney's fees under La.R.S. 23:1201.2 for the arbitrary and capricious refusal to pay medical expenses. Subsequent to filing his petition, plaintiff revealed that Travelers had failed to pay only one bill, in the amount of $373.00, After trial on the merits, the district judge dismissed plaintiff's suit, finding Travelers did not act arbitrarily and capriciously regarding the nonpayment of this one bill. We affirm.
FACTS
On November 14, 1986, while stocking shelves at Howard Brothers Discount in Opelousas, plaintiff fell from an aluminum ladder, injuring his right shoulder and arm. Travelers, his employer's workers' compensation carrier, began paying disability benefits from that date in the amount of $248.66 per week. By the time of trial, Travelers had paid plaintiff $18,946.91 in compensation benefits and $6,825.90 in medical expenses.
On June 12, 1987, plaintiff's attorney submitted to Travelers three medical bills, including the charge which is the subject of this suit, a $373.00 bill at Lafayette Radiology Associated. Mr. William Boston, the Travelers agent handling plaintiff's claim, testified he took no action regarding the Lafayette Radiology bill because his records indicated it had been paid on February 24, 1987. However, Boston immediately authorized payment of the other two submitted bills. Unknown to the parties at this time, the designation of the Lafayette Radiology bill as "paid" was a clerical error.
On December 14, 1987, the Office of Worker's Compensation notified Travelers of a claim filed by plaintiff with that office. That notice, however, did not inform Travelers as to the nature of plaintiff's dispute. The next correspondence received by Travelers in this matter was in January of 1988, when plaintiff filed the instant suit. Plaintiff's petition alleged only generally the failure to pay medical bills; it did not put Travelers on notice as to which bills had not been paid. Thus, at this point, Travelers had not received any specific information indicating its records were in error. On February 26, 1988, at a motion to continue trial on the merits, plaintiff's counsel identified the unpaid bill. Finally apprised of its error, Travelers paid the bill on February 29, 1988, approximately one year after the expense was incurred.
ATTORNEY'S FEES
La. R.S. 23:1201.2, which permits an award of attorney's fees in certain instances, is applicable to medical expenses as well as to weekly compensation benefits. Scott v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Company, 302 So.2d 641 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1974); Comeaux v. Cameron Offshore Services, Inc., 420 So.2d 1209 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1982). To recover attorney's fees, the plaintiff must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the employer's conduct was arbitrary, capricious and without probable cause. Hale v. Pinecrest State School, 505 So.2d 987 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1987), writ denied, 508 So.2d 68 (La.1987) and 508 So.2d 76 (La.1987).
The record before us contains no evidence of arbitrary and capricious conduct on the part of Travelers. Mr. Boston's uncontradicted testimony establishes that Travelers has never refused payment of any bill submitted by plaintiff. The totality of the circumstances suggests the Lafayette Radiology bill would have been promptly paid, were it not for the clerical error. Travelers timely paid the other two bills submitted with the Lafayette Radiology bill, and that bill was immediately paid once Travelers was informed of its error. We find no arbitrary refusal, where the defendant voluntarily sought to correct the clerical error, and where the defendant has otherwise fully complied with all obligations to the plaintiff, both in compensation payments and in medical expenses. See Bozeman v. Fruin-Colnon Construction, 396 So.2d 416 (La.App. 4th Cir.1981).
In affirming the dismissal of this suit, we do not suggest that every clerical error will shield an insurer from the imposition of attorney's fees. An insurer may not proceed with an attitude of indifference to the injured employee's condition. Guillory v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Insurance Company, 420 So.2d 119 (La.1982). Such indifference may be shown where the insurer refuses to correct an error, once the mistake is brought to its attention. Mallet v. Louisiana Nursing Homes, Inc., 459 So.2d 178 at 182 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1984), writ denied, 463 So.2d 604 (La.1984). In the instant case, plaintiff knew which bill remained unpaid, yet he did not identify it until after he filed suit. Under the scenario presented, plaintiff should not be allowed to augment his compensation claim with attorney's fees.
Whether a refusal to pay medical expenses is arbitrary, capricious and without probable cause is a factual question to be determined upon the merits of each ease. Fontenot v. G.L. Manuel Conoco Co., 482 So.2d 1041 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1986). The findings of the trial court on this issue should not be disturbed in the absence of manifest error. Belt v. State, through Louisiana Board of Cosmetology, 493 So.2d 278 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1986), writ denied, 496 So.2d 1044 (La.1986). Finding no manifest error in the trial court's ruling, we affirm the dismissal of plaintiff's suit.
DECREE
For the above and foregoing reasons the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
Costs of this appeal are assessed against appellant, Wilton King, Jr.
AFFIRMED.
KING, J., dissents for written reasons assigned.