Unser v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau

1999 ND 129, 598 N.W.2d 89, 1999 N.D. LEXIS 149, 1999 WL 487156
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 13, 1999
DocketNo. 990031
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 1999 ND 129 (Unser v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Unser v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau, 1999 ND 129, 598 N.W.2d 89, 1999 N.D. LEXIS 149, 1999 WL 487156 (N.D. 1999).

Opinion

MARING, Justice.

[¶ 1] Ted Unser appealed from a district court judgment affirming an order of the Workers Compensation Bureau terminating Unser’s disability benefits. The Bureau cross-appealed from that part of the judgment reversing the Bureau’s order for [92]*92reimbursement of benefits paid. We hold the greater weight of the evidence supports the Bureau’s finding Unser intentionally failed to report income material to the determination of Unser’s eligibility for disability benefits. We affirm that part of the judgment upholding the Bureau’s termination of benefits and reverse that part of the judgment overturning the Bureau’s order of reimbursement for benefits paid.

[¶ 2] On August 15, 1990, while working as a carpenter for Westcon, Inc., Unser injured his lower back. Unser filed a claim for workers compensation benefits. The Bureau accepted liability for the injury and awarded benefits, including temporary total disability benefits.

[¶ 3] In 1994, Unser informed the Bureau he wanted to do some light carpentry work. The Bureau, encouraged him to do so, providing he followed his doctor’s medical advice about the kind and extent of work he could perform. A Bureau employee informed Unser he had to report his earnings to the Bureau, including how much he was paid and for what time period, so the Bureau could monitor Unser’s benefit eligibility.1

[¶ 4] In 1995 and 1996, the Bureau received anonymous reports Unser was failing to report earnings. The Bureau conducted an investigation and, on December 31, 1996, mailed Unser a pre-termination notice of the Bureau’s intent to discontinue Unser’s benefit payments. On March 13, 1997 the Bureau issued an order terminating all future disability benefits in connection with Unser’s 1990 claim, and requiring Unser to reimburse the Bureau $12,861.71 for benefits previously paid.

[¶ 5] Unser requested a hearing, which was held before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) on October 13 and 14, 1997. The ALJ found Unser willfully failed to report earnings from April through October 1996 and during that period made false statements to the Bureau that he was not working and not receiving income. The ALJ concluded Unser failed to report income and made intentional false statements that he was not working, which constituted violations of N.D.C.C. § 65-05-33. The ALJ recommended the Bureau forfeit Unser’s future disability benefits. The ALJ also found, however, the greater weight of the evidence did not establish the Bureau paid benefits to Unser based upon his false statements or his failure to report income, and recommended the Bureau not seek reimbursement of benefits paid.

[¶ 6] In its final order, dated April 21, 1998 and issued by the Bureau’s Director of Claims and Rehabilitation, Jeff R. Bitz, the Bureau adopted the ALJ’s findings and his recommendation, except the Bureau rejected the finding Unser’s false statements and failure to report income had not resulted in the Bureau making erroneous benefit payments to Unser. The Bureau’s order terminated Unser’s disability benefits and ordered him to reimburse the benefits erroneously paid.

I

[¶ 7] Unser asserts the Bureau’s pre-termination notice was inadequate and violated his due process rights. Due process requires the Bureau to give a claimant prior notice of the Bureau’s intent to terminate disability benefits and an opportunity to respond. Beckler v. N.D. Workers Comp. Bur., 418 N.W.2d 770, 773 (N.D.1988). Due process is afforded if the claimant is given an opportunity to provide a written response as an initial check against an erroneous decision followed by a timely post-termination evidentiary hearing. Id. at 775. The pre-termination notice must include “a statement of the reason for the action, [and] a brief summary of the evidence relied upon by the bu[93]*93reau....” N.D.C.C. § 65-05-08.1(6) (1993); Flink v. N.D. Workers Comp. Bur., 1998 ND 11, ¶ 15, 574 N.W.2d 784. The Bureau’s pre-termination notice informed Unser his disability benefits were going to be terminated because “[rjecent information received by the Bureau indicates that you have been working during the same time that you claimed to be totally disabled from work.”

[¶ 8] Unser’s counsel did not raise this issue, in his petition for rehearing. From the time of the pre-termination notice through the time of the administrative hearing, Unser never claimed the pre-ter-mination notice was inadequate or that he was misled or without knowledge of the Bureau’s reasons for terminating his benefits resulting in his inability to respond. We conclude Unser did not timely present this issue, and we further conclude Unser has failed to demonstrate specifically in what respects the pre-termination notice was inadequate.

II

[¶ 9] Unser’s counsel asserts “[t]he Bureau’s use of Director of Claims and Rehabilitation Jeff R. Bitz as a hearing officer deprived Mr. Unser of procedural due process.” This identical issue was raised and rejected by this Court in Saakian, 1998 ND 227, ¶¶ 19-21, 587 N.W.2d 166 (1998):

Section 28-32-12.2(1), N.D.C.C., forbids a “person who has served as investigator, prosecutor, or advocate in the investigatory or prehearing stage of an adjudicative proceeding” from serving as a hearing officer....
Bitz was authorized by N.D.C.C. § 65-02-12 to issue the Bureau’s initial November 1996 decision denying Saaki-an all benefits. After receiving the ALJ’s recommended decision, the Bureau, through Bitz, accepted, but amended, that decision.... Bitz’s adoption and amendment of the ALJ’s recommended decision does not transform him into a “hearing officer” for purposes of N.D.C.C. § 28-32-12.2(1)....
.... The procedure used in this case did not deny Saakian due process.

[¶ 10] Bitz issued the initial order terminating Unser’s benefits. The subsequent hearing was conducted by an administrative law judge who thereafter submitted recommended findings of fact, conclusions of law, and an order. Bitz adopted, with amendments, the ALJ’s findings and conclusions of law and issued the Bureau’s final order. We conclude the procedure did not violate Unser’s due process rights.

Ill

[¶ 11] Unser asserts the Bureau’s “use of Ted Unser’s criminal judgment and consequent imposition of a penalty under N.D.C.C. § 65-05-33 constitutes double jeopardy.”

[¶ 12] In his trial brief, Unser raised this issue in very summary fashion. The court, in its memorandum opinion, concluded the issue was not adequately raised:

Unser argues the Bureau’s order directing forfeiture of benefits and recoupment constitutes double jeopardy since he was punished in district court for the crime of Making a False Statement. In essence, Unser’s argument is an attack on the constitutionality of N.D.C.C. § 65-05-33.
[[Image here]]
To sustain his argument, Unser must show that Section 65-05-33 was enacted as a punitive measure as opposed to one which has a remedial goal. State v. Zimmerman, 539 N.W.2d 49, 56 (N.D.1995). Unser has not even attempted to make such a showing.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Jones v. Levi
2016 ND 245 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2016)
City of Fargo v. Rakowski
2016 ND 79 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2016)
Albright v. North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance
2013 ND 97 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2013)
Muldoon v. North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance Fund
2012 ND 244 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2012)
Huber v. Farmers Union Service Ass'n
2010 ND 151 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2010)
Forbes v. Workforce Safety & Insurance Fund
2006 ND 208 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2006)
Lee v. Buehner
2006 ND 204 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2006)
Bjerklie v. WORKFORCE SAFETY AND INSURANCE
2005 ND 178 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2005)
Acuity Ins. Co. v. Meridian Ins. Co.
2005 ND 169 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2005)
Knodel v. Knodel
2003 ND 176 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2003)
Elshaug v. Workforce Safety & Insurance
2003 ND 177 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2003)
Giese v. Gleeson
2002 ND 211 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2002)
In Re Estate of Gleeson
2002 ND 211 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2002)
Wanner v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau
2002 ND 201 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2002)
Snyder v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau
2001 ND 38 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2001)
Renault v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau
1999 ND 187 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1999)
Stewart v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau
1999 ND 174 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1999)
City of Fargo v. Erickson
1999 ND 145 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1999)
Vernon v. North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau
1999 ND 153 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1999)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1999 ND 129, 598 N.W.2d 89, 1999 N.D. LEXIS 149, 1999 WL 487156, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/unser-v-north-dakota-workers-compensation-bureau-nd-1999.