Opinion ID: 1372970
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: hospital's right to due process of law

Text: Section 14(E) of the Workers' Compensation Act, 85 O.S. 1981 § 1, et seq., provides in relevant part: The right to recover charges for every type of medical care for personal injuries arising out of and in the course of covered employment as herein defined, shall lie solely with the Workers' Compensation Court, and all jurisdiction of the other trial courts of this state over such action is hereby abolished. Title 85 O.S.Supp. 1986 § 3.4 states that The [Workers' Compensation] Court shall be vested with jurisdiction over all claims filed pursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act. Upon issuance of an order approving final settlement, the Workers' Compensation Court is divested of jurisdiction over any claim for the injury or any results arising from same. 85 O.S. 1981 § 84. In the present case, Hospital treated Savage for injuries arising out of and in the course of covered employment as defined by the Act. Then, pursuant to the dictates of 85 O.S.Supp. 1986 § 14(E), Hospital submitted the charges for such medical treatment to the Workers' Compensation Court for approval. Hospital complied with all statutorily mandated procedures to secure payment for the services it rendered and the trial court found that Hospital's charges were reasonable, necessary and supported by competent medical evidence. However, without notifying Hospital, the court terminated Hospital's right to receive payment for those medical services it rendered after January 13, 1989. We find that such ruling violated Hospital's right to due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution dictates that no state may deprive one of property without due process. Since the landmark case of Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., [339 U.S. 306, 70 S.Ct. 652, 94 L.Ed. 865 (1950),] the U.S. Supreme Court has required that notice meeting minimum constitutional standards precede judicial action which affects a protected property interest. Notice must be reasonably calculated to inform interested parties of the pending action and of every critical stage so as to afford them an opportunity to defend or to meet the issues at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner. Under Mullane and its progeny, one who seeks to alter another's legal rights must give actual notice to the latter before a court can act upon the claim. Matter of Estate of Pope, 808 P.2d 640, 642 (Okla. 1990). See also Bomford v. Socony Mobile Oil Co., 440 P.2d 713, 718 (Okla. 1968). We hold that Hospital's expectation of payment for services rendered in accordance with the Workers' Compensation Act was a protected property interest. We also find that the trial court's order disallowing payment for services rendered after January 13, 1989, directly and adversely affected Hospital's interest. Savage's heart transplant was judicially determined to be an injury which arose out of and in the course of employment as defined in the Act. Therefore, Hospital was statutorily required to submit its charges to the Workers' Compensation Court for approval. By entering the order approving the Joint Petition, the Workers' Compensation Court ostensibly divested itself of jurisdiction over any claim for [Savage's] injury or any results arising from same. 85 O.S. 1981 § 84. As previously stated, no other court has jurisdiction to act upon a claim for medical services rendered in connection with a workers' compensation claim. Thus, Hospital would have no recourse at law if denied the right to recover its charges. The present fact situation is analogous to those condemned by the United States Supreme Court in Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. v. Pope, 485 U.S. 478, 108 S.Ct. 1340, 99 L.Ed.2d 565 (1988), Walker v. City of Hutchinson, 352 U.S. 112, 77 S.Ct. 200, 1 L.Ed.2d 178 (1956), and City of New York v. New York, N.H. & H.R. Co., 344 U.S. 293, 73 S.Ct. 299, 97 L.Ed. 333 (1953). In Pope, the Court held that known or reasonably ascertainable creditors in a probate proceeding, whose claims are not merely conjectural, are entitled to actual notice of the time for filing a claim with the estate's representative. In Walker, the Court ruled that in a condemnation proceeding, actual notice must be given to a landowner whose name and address the government knows or could learn from the official county records. And, in New York, N.H. & H.R. Co., the Court concluded that a known creditor in a bankruptcy proceeding must be given actual notice that its claim will be barred unless filed within the statutory period. In the present case, Hospital was not a party to the Joint Petition proceedings and it did not receive notice of either the filing of the Joint Petition or of the order approving the same. Furthermore, Hospital's claim was not conjectural. All parties to the Joint Petition knew that Hospital had treated, and would continue to treat, Savage for his heart condition. Finally, Hospital's right to receive payment for its services was terminated without notice. Such action clearly violated Hospital's right to due process of law.