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IN THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

1997 MTWCC 22

WCC No. 9702-7698


STEVE CHURCH

Petitioner

vs.

TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY OF ILLINOIS

Respondent/Insurer for

FOOD SERVICES OF AMERICA

Employer.


ORDER ON IN CAMERA INSPECTION

Summary: Following petitioner's motion to compel discovery, hearing examiner reviewed documents produced in camera relating to respondent insurer's claim of attorney-client privilege and work product protection.

Held: Applying the standards regarding attorney-client privilege and work product articulated in earlier WCC decisions (Adels v. Cigna Ins. Co., WCC No. 9307-6831; Blount v. Conagera, Inc., WCC No. 9304-6769; Yaeger v. Montana Schools Group Ins. Co., WCC 9308-6872; Wetzel v. Ash Grove Cement, WCC No. 9108-6216), hearing examiner ordered production of several categories of documents, but held the following documents protected by work product doctrine: insurer's reserve information and rationale, notes regarding general settlement and discussion with the employer, mediation, estimated liability sheet, and letters setting out internal discussion about settlement. Attorney-client privilege and work product held to protect claims adjuster's notes regarding discussion with another claims adjuster and employer regarding liability in case.

Topics:

Discovery: Claims File. Applying the standards regarding attorney-client privilege and work product articulated in earlier WCC decisions (Adels v. Cigna Ins. Co., WCC No. 9307-6831; Blount v. Conagera, Inc., WCC No. 9304-6769; Yaeger v. Montana Schools Group Ins. Co., WCC 9308-6872; Wetzel v. Ash Grove Cement, WCC No. 9108-6216), hearing examiner ordered production of several categories of documents, but held the following documents protected by work product doctrine: insurer's reserve information and rationale, notes regarding general settlement and discussion with the employer, mediation, estimated liability sheet, and letters setting out internal discussion about settlement. Attorney-client privilege and work product held to protect claims adjuster's notes regarding discussion with another claims adjuster and employer regarding liability in case.

Discovery: In Camera Inspection. Applying the standards regarding attorney-client privilege and work product articulated in earlier WCC decisions (Adels v. Cigna Ins. Co., WCC No. 9307-6831; Blount v. Conagera, Inc., WCC No. 9304-6769; Yaeger v. Montana Schools Group Ins. Co., WCC 9308-6872; Wetzel v. Ash Grove Cement, WCC No. 9108-6216), hearing examiner ordered production of several categories of documents, but held the following documents protected by work product doctrine: insurer's reserve information and rationale, notes regarding general settlement and discussion with the employer, mediation, estimated liability sheet, and letters setting out internal discussion about settlement. Attorney-client privilege and work product held to protect claims adjuster's notes regarding discussion with another claims adjuster and employer regarding liability in case.

Discovery: Privileges: Attorney client. Applying the standards regarding attorney-client privilege and work product articulated in earlier WCC decisions (Adels v. Cigna Ins. Co., WCC No. 9307-6831; Blount v. Conagera, Inc., WCC No. 9304-6769; Yaeger v. Montana Schools Group Ins. Co., WCC 9308-6872; Wetzel v. Ash Grove Cement, WCC No. 9108-6216), hearing examiner ordered production of several categories of documents, but held the following documents protected by work product doctrine: insurer's reserve information and rationale, notes regarding general settlement and discussion with the employer, mediation, estimated liability sheet, and letters setting out internal discussion about settlement. Attorney-client privilege and work product held to protect claims adjuster's notes regarding discussion with another claims adjuster and employer regarding liability in case.

Discovery: Privileges: Work product. Applying the standards regarding attorney-client privilege and work product articulated in earlier WCC decisions (Adels v. Cigna Ins. Co., WCC No. 9307-6831; Blount v. Conagera, Inc., WCC No. 9304-6769; Yaeger v. Montana Schools Group Ins. Co., WCC 9308-6872; Wetzel v. Ash Grove Cement, WCC No. 9108-6216), hearing examiner ordered production of several categories of documents, but held the following documents protected by work product doctrine: insurer's reserve information and rationale, notes regarding general settlement and discussion with the employer, mediation, estimated liability sheet, and letters setting out internal discussion about settlement. Attorney-client privilege and work product held to protect claims adjuster's notes regarding discussion with another claims adjuster and employer regarding liability in case.

On March 31, 1997, petitioner's motion to compel discovery was filed. Respondent has responded and submitted for an in camera review the documents listed in the chart below.

In prior discovery orders, the Court has discussed the protection afforded by the attorney/client privilege and work-product doctrine. Blount v. Conagara, Inc., WCC No. 9304-6769, Adels v. Cigna Ins. Co., WCC No. 9307-6831, Yaeger v. Montana Schools Group Ins., WCC No. 9308-6872, Wetzel v. Ash Grove Cement, WCC No. 9108-6216. The review herein has been conducted pursuant to the guidelines laid down in those decisions and the disposition for each document is reflected in the following chart.

Document No.

Date

Description

Disposition

000014
07/12/95
Note regarding description of employer and job Produce document
000015
07/12/95
Note regarding description of employer and job No objection to any entry on page - Produce document
000023
12/11/95
Correspondence between Diane Nelson and another claims adjuster Produce document

000024
12/11/95
Correspondence between Diane Nelson and another claim's adjuster No objection to any entry on page - Produce document
000026
02/13/96
Note regarding respondent and its insurer's reserves Redact information regarding reserve rationale, work product - Produce redacted document
000027
02/21/96
General reserve rationale of file Redact information concerning General Reserve Rationale - Produce redacted document
000033
06/21/96
Note regarding general settlement authorization Produce document
000039

07/23/96
&
07/26/96

Estimate rationale note from claim's adjuster to Diane Nelson and notes regarding general settlement and discussions with employer Work product - Production denied
000042, 000044 & 000045
  These documents were not produced for review
000046
10/23/96 &

12/07/96

Mediation information and notes regarding authority to make payment from supervising claim's adjuster Redact mediation information -Produce redacted document
000048
02/05/97
Notes regarding deadlines and strategies regarding case of claim's adjuster, Diane Nelson Produce document
000049
02/07/97
Claim's adjuster notes regarding discussion with another claim's adjuster and employer Attorney Client/Work Product - Production denied
000050 -000056
  Documents not produced for review
000077
05/17/95
Statistic sheet containing information regarding internal operations of the employer and Travelers Insurance Company Redact insurance policy numbers, bank codes, and states covered - Produce redacted document
000079
05/12/95
Statistic sheet containing information regarding internal operations of the employer and Travelers Insurance Company Redact insurance policy numbers, bank codes, and states covered - Produce redacted document
000082
Unknown
Food Services of America Workers' Compensation Account forms Redact insurance policy numbers, bank codes, and states covered - Produce redacted document
000087
01/23/96
Letter from Diane Nelson, Travelers, to Kevin Malley, Food Services of America Produce document
000088
02/16/96
Letter from Diane Nelson, Travelers, to Kevin Malley, Food Services of America Produce document
000092
05/15/96
Letter from Diane Nelson, Travelers, to Kevin Malley, Food Services of America Produce document
000093 07/07/95 Letter regarding reserve/advisory report from Diane Nelson,Travelers, to Joe Lhamon, Risk Manager, Food Services of America Work product - Production denied
000094 07/06/95 Estimated liability sheet and reserve report of Travelers Insurance Company and Food Services of America Work product - Production denied
000095 02/23/96 Letter regarding reserve/advisory report from Diane Nelson, Travelers, to Tim Holland, Food Services of America Work product - Production denied
000096 02/21/96 Estimated liability sheet and reserve report of Travelers Insurance Company and Food Services of America Work product - Production denied
000104 06/24/96 Letter from Diane Nelson, Travelers, regarding authorization for settlement to Tim Holland, Vice President of Operations, Food Services of America Work product - Production denied
000216 02/13/96 Letter from Diane Nelson, Travelers, to Kevin Malley, Food Services of America Produce document
000217 02/14/96 Letter from Kevin Malley, Director of Operations, Food Services of America, to Diane Nelson, Travelers Insurance Produce document

ACCORDINGLY, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

Respondent must produce numbers 000014, 000015, 000023, 000024, 000026 (with information regarding reserve rationale redacted), 000027 (with General Reserve Rationale redacted), 000033, 000046 (with mediation information redacted), 000048, 000077, 000079 (with insurance policy numbers, bank codes and states covered redacted), 000082 (with insurance policy numbers, bank codes and states covered redacted), 000087, 000088, 000092, 000216 and 000217.

This Order is signed by the Hearing Examiner at the direction of the Judge of the Workers' Compensation Court.

DATED in Helena, Montana, this 24th day of April, 1997.

(SEAL)

/s/ Clarice V. Beck
CLARICE V. BECK
Hearing Examiner

c: Mr. James G. Edmiston
Mr. Dylan E. Jackson
Submitted: April 10, 1997

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