Judge's Fee Award Failed to Adequately Compensate Worker's Attorney

The Minnesota Supreme Court this week ruled that a workers’ compensation judge had improperly short-changed an attorney for his work establishing which employer was responsible for the payment of benefits. The case was Hufnagel v. Deer River Health Care Center. Janet Hufnagel worked as a certified nursing assistant for Deer River Health Care. She injured her back while at work in 2009. Deer River had workers’ compensation insurance coverage from the MHA Insurance Co., and MHA paid benefits to Hufnagel. Hufnagel returned to work with medical restrictions and settl...