DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/DIVISION OF RISK MANAGEMENT, APPELLANT,
v.
RONALD LOGAN, AS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF BETTY JEAN LOGAN, DECEASED, APPELLEE
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The Florida Department of Transportation appeals a workers' compensation judge's award of $15,000 in attorney's fees to claimant's counsel, arguing the award exceeded the statutory fee schedule and included time improperly spent on establishing the fee amount itself. The court affirmed the award's departure from the statutory schedule but reversed in part, requiring deduction of time spent on fee calculation and processing administrative checks.
The court held that the award of attorney's fees exceeding the statutory schedule was supported by competent substantial evidence, but affirmed in part and reversed in part, requiring deduction of 6 hours spent establishing the fee amount and 3.5 hours spent receiving and processing temporary total disability, prescription, and mileage checks, as these were not related to obtaining the benefits secured.
[1] An award of attorney's fees in excess of a statutory fee schedule may be supported by competent substantial evidence.
[2] Attorney's fees are not recoverable for time spent by counsel in establishing the amount of the fee itself.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“the JCC's award of an attorney's fee in excess of the statutory fee schedule pursuant to section 440.34(1), Florida Statutes, is supported by competent substantial evidence”
The court's main holding affirming the judge's discretion to depart from the statutory schedule when justified by the evidence.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceBetty Jean Logan's estate, represented by Ronald Logan as personal representative, sought workers' compensation benefits. Claimant's counsel expended …
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DAVIS, Judge.
Department of Transportation/Division of Risk Management appeal an order of the judge of compensation claims (JCC), awarding a $15,000 attorney’s fee to claimant’s counsel, pursuant to section 440.34(1), Florida Statutes (1987), for time expended in obtaining an increase in claimant’s average weekly wage (AWW) and in obtaining authorization for an Optifast program before claimant could undergo surgery. Appellant argues that: (1) the JCC erred in awarding attorney’s fees for the time spent in establishing the amount of the fee and; (2) there is a lack of competent substantial evidence to support the JCC’s departure from the statutory fee schedule. We affirm in part and reverse in part.
We hold that the JCC’s award of an attorney’s fee in excess of the statutory fee schedule pursuant to section 440.34(1), Florida Statutes, is supported by competent substantial evidence. Appellee concedes, however, that the JCC erred in awarding fees for the time spent by counsel in establishing the amount of the fee. See Crittenden Orange Blossom Fruit v. Stone, 514 So. 2d 351 (Fla. 1987). Appellee agrees that six hours spent in proving the amount of the fee should, therefore, be deducted from the 54.5 hours of total time expended by counsel for appellee.1
Appellant argues that the JCC erred in awarding attorney’s fees for an additional 17.5 hours expended by counsel for claimant between September 25, 1990 and November 21, 1990. With the exception of 3.5 hours awarded for the receipt and processing of temporary total disability, prescription and mileage checks, we find that the award of attorney’s fees for time expended by counsel for claimant between September 25,1990 and November 21, 1990, is supported by competent substantial evidence. There is no evidence in the record to support the JCC’s award of attorney’s fees for 3.5 hours spent in receipt and processing of temporary total disability, prescription and mileage checks. In fact, counsel for claimant admitted that the time spent in the receipt and processing of temporary total disability checks had nothing to do with obtaining the medical benefit for claimant or in obtaining an increase in claimant’s AWW.
Accordingly, we reverse and remand with directions that the JCC enter an order awarding claimant’s attorney an attorney’s fee based on an hourly rate of $300 per hour, and based on a total number of hours which take into account a deduction of 6 hours spent in establishing the amount of the fee and a deduction of 3.5 hours spent in the receipt and processing of temporary total disability, prescription and mileage checks.
ZEHMER, C.J., and BOOTH, J., concur. . The JCC found that 50 hours were reasonable and necessary to return the benefits secured. The JCC did not identify in her order the 4.5 hours which were deducted from the 54.5 hours expended by counsel for claimant.
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Citator
Cited By
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Pullen Bros. & Travelers v. Smith, 661 So. 2d 888 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995)…we REVERSE and REMAND for further proceedings. On remand, the JCC may enter an order awarding claimant’s attorney a fee at the hourly rate established in the previous hearing, with the deduction of the excess 13 hours. See Dep’t of Transp. v. Logan, 645 So. 2d 127, 128-29 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). DAVIS, J., and SMITH, Senior Judge, concur.…
Authorities Cited
- Crittenden Orange Blossom Fruit v. Stone, 514 So. 2d 351 (Fla. 1987)