OK Workers' Comp Commissioner Challenges Dropped

Oklahoma City, OK (WorkersCompensation.com) – The challenge is over.

Deputy State Attorney General Megan Tilly will begin her appointment to the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission at the end of August granted to her by Gov. Mary Fallin. This appointment was challenged by longtime counsel Bob Burke.

WorkersCompensation.com reported on the challenge regarding Tilly and attorney Jordan Russell. Burke claimed Tilly did not have the have the independence needed to sit for a six-year term on the three-member commission. Burke said since Tilly was the daughter of Fred Morgan, past politician and present president of the State Chamber, who specifically assisted in workers' compensation reform four years ago, was more reason as to why she should not be considered.

"It's just too close (of) a relationship to have such an important position filled by the daughter of the man who has publicly stated that he wants to remove lawyers from the workers' compensation system, thus denying the ability of an injured worker to hire a lawyer to help with his or her claim," according to Burke.

The challenge seems to be over, since an announcement yesterday reporting both Tilly and Russell will serve as originally planned. Judge David Langham addressed the matter in an early morning blog this week, noting both Tilly and Russell both have a “foundation” in the workers’ compensation system needed to serve.

Since Tilly assisted in the workers’ compensation and Social Security fraud unit, Judge Langham writes “that experience with the criminal system, as it involved insurance and workers’ compensation, is the foundation of her qualification under the three-year requirement. This challenge is similar to the Commissioner Jordon Russell challenge; his workers’ compensation experience is through the OK legislature.”

Tilly attained her undergraduate degree at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA., and her Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

She was also presented the American Jurisprudence Award in Criminal Procedure was chosen to be an Order of the Barristers member at the University of Oklahoma.

Gov. Mary Fallin's general counsel James Williamson said in an email to WorkersCompensation.com in the original news report, “Tilly's ability in managing the multicounty grand jury unit, which she has done since 2013, as well her assistance with workers' compensation and fraud units to the state attorney general's office in workers' compensation, proves she can do the job.”

WorkersCompensation.com reached out to the offices of Gov. Fallin, Russell and Tilly, but there were no responses as of press time.

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