Farewell to our Judith
It is with heavy hearts that we report that on August 4, 2024, Judith Ann Hosford left the earth to join her much loved family in Heaven. Ms. Hosford passed away suddenly, with no pain or suffering, after a number of years of retirement following a long and distinguished career in the workers’ compensation claims industry.
Judy began her workers’ compensation career in Missoula as a claims secretary and, when she moved to Billings, she began employment with James Marsh and Midland Claims in the early 1980’s. After several years, Ms. Hosford stepped out on her own with Harold Winfield and later moved on to become the owner of Industrial Injury Claims Service. Judy was fiercely proud of being a female business owner. She handled hundreds of claims and investigations for a variety of self-insured employers and insurance companies including working with Comp Adjusters, Putman, Old Republic and Valor Insurance through many years.
With her business transitioning (everyone knew Judy's love of computers, right!), in 2001, Judy decided to sell her company to Midland Claims Service, joining as the WC Claims Manager of the new subsidiary of Midland, Industrial Injury Claims®. For nearly 20 years, Ms. Hosford was instrumental in the intake of self-insured programs from leading competitors. She was personally, directly responsible for the successful, humane claims handling for thousands of injured workers in the final two decades of her claims career.
One of her proudest moments: Judith A Hosford – 2019 Governor’s Conference
Top: Receiving The Award Below: Photo with Award Winners at Big Sky, MT
Judith was honored by at the 2019 Governor’s Conference on Workers’ Compensation as the Outstanding Workers’ Compensation Professional of the Year. This recognition meant the world to Judy, who devoted her life to helping the less fortunate and those injured in workplace incidents. Her nomination for the award is below.
After retiring, Judy enjoyed an occasional pizza and beer, volunteering to help the elderly at St John’s, traveling a bit, playing a machine or two, having supper with her many lifelong friends and (most importantly) she loved and enjoyed her many owned and adopted cats. Every kitty in the neighborhood knew that they would not be turned away from her kitchen.
Per Judy’s final wishes, there is no formal service or celebration of life planned.
It is with our heartfelt respect and admiration that we wish peace and comfort to Judy as she joins her beloved family in Heaven.
Michael J. Marsh, RPA, CPIA, CIA, CIU - On behalf of the Marsh family and the management and staff of Midland Claims Service, Inc. and Industrial Injury Claims®
From our company lunch on June 14, 2024
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Our nomination to the DOL&I of Judith Hosford for Outstanding WC Professional in 2019
May 2019
Judith Hosford has been a ‘fixture’ in the workers’ compensation claims industry for many years. Beginning in Montana WC in the early 1980’s, she has been the model of consistency in an industry filled with many ongoing changes.
Judith is well-known and widely respected by everyone in the WC industry in Montana. There are literally hundreds of stories where injured workers have had their lives touched by her caring, uncomplicated approach to managing claims. In an industry that seems to focus upon the drive for more efficiency, doing more for less, best practices (in a book or on a screen) and working as an adjuster for some artificial flat rate, Judith has always made it a point to continue to focus upon the needs of the legitimately injured worker. She takes the time necessary to sit with the worker, in person if possible, learn about them, the claim and their life circumstances and make a sincere effort to help them through the system. Numerous times workers have come back into the office, some years later, to say thank you for helping them in their time of need.
Judith Hosford is a workers’ compensation professional that we think the entire industry should try to learn from. Seems tough on the outside, but she has a heart of gold. She not only understands the basic reason for the workers’ compensation system, she lives it and shares her wisdom frequently with her co-workers.
Importantly, even when a claim or condition may not be covered under workers’ compensation, Judith’s approach is one that we have all learned from, and workers have benefited from. She lives the statement “Treat people with respect and dignity, even if the law or the lawyers tell us that there is no coverage” As we’ve heard in the office many times…”we don’t make the laws, we just do our best to help people through the process regardless of their circumstances”.
We hope you will consider Judith Hosford for the Outstanding WC Professional for 2019. It would be beautiful for her to be recognized as one of the outstanding individuals, she has devoted her life to WC claims and touched many lives.
Thank you.
Michael J. Marsh and EVERYONE at Midland Claims Service, Inc. and Industrial Injury Claims® - May 9, 2019
Ad celebrating Judy's Outstanding Professional Award 2019 @ Big Sky
