Physicians: Conflict of Interest

Svendsen v. Montana State Fund [06/09/11] 2011 MTWCC 14 Where an IME physician had a previous working relationship with an industrial hygienist who performed an evaluation of the claimant’s worksite, any conflict of interest caused by the previous relationship will go to the weight accorded the IME report and is insufficient grounds to preclude the physician from performing the IME.
State Fund. V. Willard E.Vannett [12/2/99] 1999 MTWCC 77 Where particular physician's conflict of interest had poisoned the handling of the entire occupational disease medical review process, Court declined to reconsider ruling affirming hearing officer's decision that claimant suffered from an occupational disease.
State Fund v. Willard E. Vannett [10/29/99] 1999 MTWCC 66 On appeal from decision of DOL, WCC refused to consider evidence from physician who was hired by State Fund to provide advice during evaluation of whether to challenge one physician's opinion that claimant suffered from OD, then accepted appointment to OD panel on same case.