Court: Carrier Shouldn't Have Been Sanctioned for Failing to Immediately Pay Lump Sum

The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that an insurance carrier should not have been subject to penalties for failing to pay a worker’s benefits as a lump sum before his award became "final by operation of law." Vern E. Giltner worked for Dirt & Aggregate Interchange Inc. After suffering on-the-job injuries, he filed a workers’ compensation claim. D&AI was insured by SAIF Corp. SAIF paid benefits to Giltner, and in March 2020, it issued a notice of closure. The notice said Giltner was entitled to a 34% impairment rating and permanent partial disability benefits o...