
By: Megan Vaniman House Bill 2764 was introduced to the House Floor on April 20, 2015. HB 2764, spearheaded by the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, is wide-reaching and proposes to increase or create new bases for attorney fee awards. HB 2764 has the potential to significantly increase employers’ workers’ compensation costs and premium rates, according to Oregon’s rate setter, NCCI. HB 2764 proposes a policy change that would require ALJs and the Board to award benefits if a reasonable interpretation of the law would allow benefits. This threatens the impartiality of the administrative process and, over time, the system will award benefits in more and more situations. Specifically, HB 2764 proposes to remove the $3,000 limit on…
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