JCC Can't Redirect Payment of Attorney Fees Agreed Upon by Parties

Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeal on Monday ruled that a judge of compensation claims could not reduce the amount of the attorney fee payable to a worker’s attorney below the amount to which the parties have agreed the attorney should receive, and then redirect the fee to the worker. This issue came up in two separate workers’ compensation cases — Banegas v. CAR Environmental and Gomez v. Frank Crum Inc. — which had been before Judge of Compensation Claims John J. Lazzara. Counsel for Leonardo Gomez had negotiated a settlement with the insurance carrie...