In Jorge Gomez v. Frank Winston Crum Insurance, Intal Construction, Inc. and CCMSI, Frank Winston Crum Insurance, Inc. one of claimant’s former counsels secured a loan for claimant from Oasis funding. Claimant’s current counsel reduced the purported lien of Oasis as part of the settlement and sought approval of a side fee of $1,500 for securing this alleged benefit. The JCC did not find the alleged lien reduction to be a benefit under workers’ compensation law and concluded he was without jurisdiction to consider or approve a fee in connected with this loan. Alternatively, he found that even if such jurisdiction did exist, the alleged lien was unenforceable and invalid as a matter of law pursuant to F.S. 440.22. Accordingly, the request for approval of a side $1,500 attorney fee was DENIED.
