SHANNON BALLARD, APPELLANT,
v.
EDD HELMS GROUP AND AMERISURE INSURANCE, APPELLEES
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.
In a workers' compensation appeal, the Florida District Court of Appeal, First District reversed in part a Judge of Compensation Claims decision that denied a claimant penalties and interest on late-paid temporary partial disability benefits, holding that the employer/carrier raised an overpayment defense too late and that the claimant was entitled to attorney's fees for successfully prosecuting the penalty claim.
The court affirmed the denial of penalties and interest on the TPD benefits themselves, but reversed the finding of overpayment because the defense was untimely asserted after the final hearing. The court also reversed the denial of attorney's fees and costs, holding that the claimant was entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees under Florida Statute § 440.34(3)(b) for successfully prosecuting the penalty claim.
[1] A Judge of Compensation Claims errs in permitting an employer/carrier to assert an affirmative defense for the first time in a post-hearing closing argument.
[2] A claimant is not entitled to temporary total disability benefits for any week during which the claimant receives unemployment compensation benefits.
Previewing 2 of 4 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“No compensation benefits shall be payable for temporary total disability or permanent total disability under this chapter for any week the injured employee has received, or is receiving, unemployment compensation benefits.”
Establishes the statutory basis for denying TPD benefits when claimant receives unemployment compensation benefits
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceClaimant Shannon Ballard sought payment of penalties and interest on late payment of temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits for June 12, 2009 thr…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Claim For Penalties And Interest cases and more on FLexlaw
In this workers’ compensation appeal, Claimant argues the Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) erred on multiple counts. We agree with two of Claimant’s six points and write only to address those; the remaining points on appeal are affirmed without comment.
Claimant sought payment of penalties and interest on the late payment of temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits for the time period of June 12, 2009, through August 14, 2009. Based on the testimony of Dr. Wilensky, Claimant’s treating orthopedist, Claimant was in a no-work status during this time period. Thus, Claimant was not entitled to the TPD benefits paid to him; rather, he would have been entitled to temporary total disability benefits—had he not been receiving unemployment compensation benefits during this time. See § 440.15(10)(a), Fla. Stat. (2008) (“No compensation benefits shall be payable for temporary total disability or permanent total disability under this chapter for any week the injured employee has received, or is receiving, unemployment compensation benefits.”). Thus, the JCC did not err in denying penalties and interest on indemnity benefits sought for the requested time period.
The JCC did err, however, in finding that the Employer/Carrier (E/C) overpaid benefits paid during this time period. This determination was error because it was based on a defense untimely asserted—first raised by the E/C in its written closing argument submitted after the conclusion of the final hearing. See Isaac v. Green Iguana, Inc., 871 So.2d 1004, 1006 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004) (holding JCC erred in permitting E/C to amend defenses at time of trial to include affirmative defense of fraud).
Because the JCC found the E/C entitled to an overpayment, she directed that the $87.05 penalty due for a late payment of interest for a different time period be deducted from the overpayment. Had the award of an overpayment been proper, this would have been permissible. See New Hope Baptist Church v. Duran, 38 So.3d 170, 171 (Fla. 1st DCA 2010) (modifying final order to reflect that five dollars of overpayment would be reclassified as interest). Because the JCC erred in finding that the E/C overpaid TPD benefits, the JCC erred in reducing the overpayment by the amount owed in penalties.
The JCC also erred in denying Claimant an attorney’s fee and costs for the successful prosecution of the claim for penalties on the late payment of interest. See § 440.34(3)(b), Fla. Stat. (2008) (“If any party should prevail in any proceedings before a[JCC] or court, there shall be taxed against the nonprevailing party the reasonable costs of such proceedings, not to include attorney’s fees. A claimant shall be responsible for the payment of her or his own attorney’s fees, except that a claimant shall be entitled to recover a reasonable attorney’s fee from a carrier or employer ... (b) In any case in which the employer or carrier files a response to petition denying benefits ... and the injured person has employed an attorney in the successful prosecution of the petition.”).
Accordingly, the order on appeal is AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED for entry of an order striking any reference to an overpayment, directing that the Employer/Carrier pay $87105 in penalties for the late payment of interest, and finding Claimant entitled to a *90fee and costs for obtaining the $87.05 penalty.
PADOVANO, HAWKES, and SWANSON, JJ., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
-
Knight v. Walgreens and Sedgwick CMS, 109 So. 3d 1224 (Fla. 1st DCA 2013)…rkers’ compensation cases for the JCC to rule on Claimant’s entitlement to the neurosurgical evaluation based on a defense that was untimely asserted, as it was first raised by the E/C in closing arguments at hearing. See Ballard v. Edd Helms Group, 79 So. 3d 88, 89 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011), reh’g denied (Feb. 9, 2012) (holding JCC erred in finding E/C overpaid benefits based on defense untimely asserted—first raised by the E/C in written closing argument submitted after final hearing). Here, not only did the E…
-
Guglielmo v. State of Florida-DOC Zephyrhills C I/Division of Risk Mgmt. (Fla. 1st DCA 2025)
Authorities Cited
- Isaac v. Green Iguana, Inc., 871 So. 2d 1004 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004)
- NEW Hope Baptist Church & Guideone Ins. v. Duran, 38 So. 3d 170 (Fla. 1st DCA 2010)