BREVARD COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER AND ST. PAUL FIRE & MARINE INS. CO., APPELLANTS,
v.
IDA B. ADAMS, APPELLEE

Fla. 1st DCA | 1982-12-16
No. AJ-371
ROBERT P. SMITH, Jr., C.J., and THOMPSON, J., concur.
431 So. 2d 167 Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (1982) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

In this workers' compensation appeal, the employer/carrier challenged the deputy commissioner's award of permanent total disability (PTD) benefits and attorney's fees to Adams, as well as the finding of negligent, arbitrary, and capricious claim handling. The court affirmed the PTD award and attorney's fees but reversed the finding of negligent, arbitrary, and capricious conduct.


Holding

The court affirmed that competent substantial evidence supported the PTD finding and upheld the attorney's fees award despite exceeding the statutory rate, as the deputy commissioner considered all relevant prescribed factors. However, the court reversed the finding of negligent, arbitrary, and capricious conduct, finding no evidentiary basis for such finding where benefits were continuously paid and the carrier attempted vocational rehabilitation.


Headnotes

[1] Competent substantial evidence in the record can support a deputy commissioner's finding of permanent total disability.

[2] A deputy commissioner's award of attorney's fees will not be disturbed on appeal if the commissioner considered all relevant statutory factors to the extent circumstances…

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Key Quotes

“There is competent substantial evidence in the record to support the deputy commissioner's finding of PTD.”

The court's holding affirming the finding of permanent total disability despite the carrier's challenge.

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Facts & Procedural History

Adams was injured and filed a workers' compensation claim. The deputy commissioner awarded permanent total disability benefits and $10,000 in attorney…

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Opinion of the Court
SHIVERS, Judge.

SHIVERS, Judge.

In this workers’ compensation case the employer/carrier appeals the final order of the deputy commissioner which awards benefits to appellee, Adams. Appellant argues that the deputy commissioner erred in that there is no competent substantial evidence to support a finding of permanent total disability (PTD), that the deputy commissioner erred in awarding attorney’s fees, and that the deputy commissioner erred in finding that the employer/carrier was guilty of negligent, arbitrary and capricious handling of the claim. We affirm on the first two points, but reverse on the third.

There is competent substantial evidence in the record to support the deputy commissioner’s finding of PTD. The case of Latt Maxcy Corp. v. Mann, 393 So. 2d 1128 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981), argued strenuously by appellant, concerns attorney’s fees and particularly the issue of when “notice” of a claim occurs under section 440.34(1), Florida Statutes (1977).

The Latt Maxcy case does not illuminate how the right to reasonable investigation discussed therein would affect a decision of PTD. On the facts of the case sub judice, we find Latt Maxcy inapplicable.1 Although the $10,000 attorney’s fee awarded in this case exceeds by over 20% the statutory rate set out in section 440.-34(1) and appears excessive, we will not substitute our judgment for that of the deputy commissioner. The order of the deputy commissioner reflects that he did consider all of the relevant, prescribed factors set out in section 440.34(1) to the extent that circumstances permitted. See Lee Engineering & Construction Co. v. Fellows, 209 So. 2d 454 (Fla.1968); Roundtree Transport, Inc. v. Godek, 412 So. 2d 66 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982).

We therefore will not disturb his result on appeal.2

We find error, however, in the deputy commissioner's specific finding in his order that the employer/carrier handled this claim in a negligent, arbitrary and capricious manner.

Under section 440.34(1), Florida Statutes (1978), with respect to attorney’s fees on claims for benefits other than medical benefits, 75% of such fees are to be paid by the.employer or carrier and 25% are to be paid by the claimant. The employer or carrier, however, is to pay all of the attorney’s fee if the claimant proves that the employer or carrier handled his claim in a negligent, arbitrary or capricious manner.

Therefore, such a finding, or lack thereof, is significant to the parties. In the case at bar the deputy commissioner does not supply the basis for his finding on this issue. Florida Erection Services, Inc. v. McDonald, 395 So. 2d 203 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981), implies that it is the delay or denial of payment by the employer/carrier, without a showing of active effort and initiative to fairly and expeditiously determine its obligation to place needed benefits in the hands of the injured worker which is the basis of a finding for “bad faith”. Although McDonald deals with a finding of bad faith under the 1979 amendments to the workers’ compensation law, this reasoning should be similar under the “negligent, arbitrary, or capricious” standard of the prior law. There is no evidence in the record of negligence, arbitrariness or capriciousness on the part of the employer/carrier. In this case the employer/carrier continued to pay TTD benefits to the claimant throughout the entire period of litigation and continuously attempted to determine its obligation via the attempted vocational rehabilitation of the claimant. The employer/carrier would have little incentive to continue to pay benefits to claimants during the period of litigation if an employer/carrier can be found to be acting in a negligent, arbitrary or capricious manner even though benefits are being provided.

Accordingly, the order of the deputy commissioner dated January 8, 1982 is AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED for modification consistent with this opinion.

ROBERT P. SMITH, Jr., C.J., and THOMPSON, J., concur. . Assuming arguendo that Latt Maxcy creates an unlimited right to investigate a claimant’s vocational rehabilitation potential, we note that by August 4, 1981 claimant was again available for such investigation.

. We find no merit in appellant’s argument that it did not resist the claim for permanent compensation.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Martin Marietta Corp. & Scott Wetzel Servs. v. Glumb, 523 So. 2d 1190 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988)
    …, an attorney’s fee award will not be set aside merely because it exceeds the statutory rate, when the deputy commissioner’s order reflects an appropriate consideration of the section 440.-34(1) factors. Brevard County Mental Health Center v. Adams, 431 So. 2d 167 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982). In keeping with legislative intent, when reviewing the propriety of an attorney’s fee award, this court will examine the findings of fact rendered by the deputy commissioner pursuant to the statutory criteria set forth in secti…
  • Celtics Mobile Home Mfg. & CNA Ins. Co. v. Butler, 460 So. 2d 486 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984)
    …he injured worker. Florida Erection Services, Inc. v. McDonald, 395 So. 2d 203 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981). See also Exceptional Children’s Home and Nursery, Inc. v. Fortuna, 414 So. 2d 1130 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982); Brevard County Mental Health Center v. Adams, 431 So. 2d 167 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982). As to the delay in authorizing an additional orthopedist’s evaluation as a basis for the award of fees in the instant case, we observe that the E/C promptly provided for examination by appropriate specialists when evidence of cl…

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