Miller Tourtlotte Law

11/03/2026

Your foreman says, "Comp's got you covered, don't worry about the other driver." He means well.

If you got hurt in a crash while working, whether hauling a load, making a delivery, or driving a ranch road, you may have two claims going at once. For a covered worker hurt on the job, workers' comp generally handles the claim against your employer. A separate claim may exist against the driver who hit you. One doesn't automatically cancel the other.

The comp insurer may try to assert a lien to take a piece of what you recover from that driver. It can try. That lien is invalid unless you've been fully made whole.

We handle both workers' comp and the claim against the other driver, so both claims get looked at together. Call us at 406-888-2222 and we'll sort out which is which.

11/02/2026

The nurse asks, "Anything else hurting?" and you say "just my neck," because your knee feels like nothing next to that.

Hold onto that moment if you drive a two-lane highway outside Billings this fall. Sunset comes earlier as November goes on, so an evening drive may end up in the dark, and a slick patch or an oncoming pickup doesn't wait for anyone.

At the ER or urgent care, name every sore spot, even the ones that seem minor. An early visit can record the symptoms and findings available at that time, typically from what you describe and a physical exam. Neck pain from a possible whiplash injury may develop over the days after a crash, so the first note may not tell the whole story.

Keep the paperwork they hand you on the way out. I like one folder, with the date, who sent it, and what they want from you written on each page. Save our number, 406-888-2222, before that folder gets thick.

10/28/2026

The adjuster from the other driver's insurance may be the friendliest person you talk to all week. They may ask how you're feeling, what hurts, what treatment you've had so far. Sounds like concern.

In some cases an offer may show up before anyone knows how long you'll be healing. Whiplash, for one, may keep changing over the days after a collision. A quick number isn't a generous number. It's a guess made before the story is finished.

An offer and a completed settlement are different things. Whether you're bound depends on what you actually agree to and on the terms of any release you're asked to sign. If a release is part of the deal, that's the document I'd read twice. And I'd be careful about agreeing to anything or signing it before your injury's course is clear.

If you want a second set of eyes on an offer or a release before you answer, call us at 406-888-2222.

10/21/2026

The doctor the insurer picked for you isn't there to treat you. The exam is called an IME, and it's an exam done for the insurer's side of your claim.

When the fight is over your diagnosis, your treatment, or how hurt you are, the report may be used as a competing opinion against your own doctor's. It can back up a position that you need less care, or can do more work, than you say. It doesn't decide the claim alone. It can still carry weight.

Skipping it is a risk too. Montana law says your benefits may be suspended until the exam happens, and nothing is paid in the meantime.

When an IME notice lands, the first call I'd want you to make is to a comp lawyer, before you say yes to a date. Call us at 406-888-2222 before you attend anything. Better than walking in cold.

10/19/2026

First hard freeze of the season, and the road you drive for work goes slick before the sun comes up.

If a crash out there leaves you hurt, you may be dealing with more than one claim. That crash may qualify for workers' compensation if it arose out of and in the course of your job. Whether another driver is legally responsible for your injuries is a separate question. Two different questions, and both can be live at the same time.

Your comp insurer may assert a lien against what you recover from that other driver. It can't cut into your recovery unless you've been fully made whole first. Nobody takes it off the top just because they ask.

When a comp claim and an injury claim are moving side by side, that's when I'd want you talking with a workers' comp attorney. If that's where you are, call us at 406-888-2222.

10/19/2026

Congratulations to A.J. Miller Voted Billings Best Attorney 2026!

Miller Tourtlotte Law is a two-partner firm in Billings, Montana, now focused on personal injury, workers’ compensation, and insurance bad faith claims. With an expanded team and deeper expertise, we provide personalized, high-quality legal representation. Our commitment to strong advocacy and client-focused service ensures you get the results you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today and let Miller Tourtolette Law fight for your rights. Your recovery is our priority.

10/18/2026

At long last, the famed Babcock Theatre is reopening for good today. Miller Tourtlotte Law is a proud sponsor, and partner A.J. Miller has served on the Board of Directors since 2024. We are thrilled to see this moment finally come to fruition. This opening weekend has something for everyone, so if you're in Billings and want to see a great flick from yesteryear while supporting a great non-profit community institution, check out this weekend's lineup and grab your tickets.

10/14/2026

Your back still catches on the stairs at night, and now there's a letter saying the insurer won't pay for more treatment.

Keep the letter and the envelope it came in. Write down the date on the letter, the day it reached you, and the date of your last appointment. Put it all in one folder and toss nothing, even the pages that look like fine print.

A denial or stopped-treatment letter is the insurer's decision—not the final word. A worker who disagrees generally has two years from the denial or termination to challenge it through Montana's dispute process and petition the Workers' Compensation Court. That clock is a separate question from how long medical benefits run on your claim, and mixing the two up is an easy way to lose track of the one that matters.

Before you sign, attend, or agree to anything, call us at 406-888-2222 and we'll go over your appeal options with you.

10/09/2026

We are excited to be a sponsor for Billings Cattle Punchers hockey!

09/30/2026

You're behind a loaded grain truck making a wide turn onto Highway 87, headed to your kid's practice, when it doesn't quite clear the lane and the trailer catches your door.

That truck may not run under the same hours-of-service rules as an interstate semi. Montana farm operations hauling within a 150 air-mile radius are exempt from standard logbook requirements, changing what paper trail exists to document the crash.

What typically survives is different evidence: weigh tickets, maintenance records, DOT inspection reports, dispatch records, fuel receipts, and onboard GPS/telematics data. Most sits at the carrier's office, and critical electronic records or short-term data can be routinely overwritten or cleared within days without a formal spoliation notice.

Call us at 406-888-2222 to request a spoliation letter before short-lived evidence disappears. The rest of the case can wait a day. Preserving that data can't.