Court Opinion

ID: 7820663
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:53:29.881905+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:43.846555
License: Public Domain

Darrell Hickman, Justice, concurring. I agree with the majority decision. However, it is my opinion that the claimant was blameless. She inquired of her doctor about the bills, expressing concern. According to her testimony, the doctor told her not to worry, that the bills would be paid by the Workers’ Compensation insurance. The doctor admitted that he was at fault in sending to the appellant the final report; he failed to cause intermediate reports to be filed with the appellant; he failed for almost a year to return the form to the appellant that would have clarified his error. The charges were permitted to accumulate to almost double the amount of the first bill before the company was notified of the continuing services. Since the claimant was blameless, as well as the appellant, that leaves the doctor as solely responsible for the error — an error which should not work to the financial prejudice of the claimant. I presume that will be the case, but I feel strongly enough about the matter to emphasize the question of fault for the benefit of all concerned.