Supreme Court Awards Worker Penalty for Carrier's Unreasonable Calculation of Benefits

The Montana Supreme Court ruled that a worker with multiple jobs was entitled to a penalty for an insurance carrier’s unreasonable calculation of the benefits owed for a period when he was unable to work at any position. Case: Perea v. Amtrust Insurance Co., No. DA 24-0162, 06/24/2025, published. Facts: Jordan Perea held concurrent employment with Truss Works and Life in Bloom for a period in 2022. Perea’s position at Life in Bloom paid a wage of $16 per hour for a 20-hour week. Perea suffered injuries on Nov. 8, 2022, while working at Truss Works. He was unable to continue wor...