In Marie Carme Louis v Next Level Hospitality Services, LLC and Amtrust North America of Florida, Wesco Insurance Company Claimant received a settlement amount of $30,000. From that settlement amount Claimant agreed to pay her attorney a fee of $7,500 which is equivalent to 25%. In Miles v. City of Edgewater Police Dept., the court held that injured workers have a constitutional right to contract with their attorneys for payment of a fee in excess of the fee schedule but the JCC must determine whether such a fee is “reasonable”. Here the JCC found that $535 hourly rate for an attorney with limited workers’ compensation experience was not reasonable. The JCC DENIED the requested fee, without prejudice.
