Defense Litigation Costs Remain at $27.9M in 2007

Oregon insurers and employers paid $29.7 million for attorney salaries, fees and other legal services to defend against workers' compensation claims in 2007, according to data released by the Department of Consumer and Business Services on Monday.The report, prepared by researchers Russ Reed and James Burke, shows that employers and carriers paid approximately the same amount for defense work in 2007 as they did in 2006. Spending levels have increased gradually from $24.2 million in 1998, according to the report.The department said costs for retained counsel represented 64.1% of all defens...