Court Raises Fee Awards for Workers Who Prevail at Trial, on Appeal

A Louisiana appellate court upheld benefits for a worker’s back injury and ruled that the appropriate award of fees incurred by a worker who prevails at trial and on appeal should be increased to $7,500. Case: Sweezy v. Lake Charles Healthcare LLC, No. 25-122, 09/10/2025, published. Facts: Paulita Sweezy worked for Lake Charles Healthcare LLC. She allegedly injured her back while lifting a patient at work on Oct. 26, 2023. Sweezy completed a handwritten incident report and put it in her supervisor’s mailbox before leaving work that night. Her supervisor later deni...