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Proposal would require injured workers to pay attorney fees

Posted On: Feb. 15, 2017 2:44 PM CST

Attorney agreement

A Florida business trade group has proposed workers compensation bill language that would require injured employees in the state to be responsible for their own workers comp attorney fees, among other changes.

The proposal from the Associated Industries of Florida also would prohibit workers comp judges from ordering insurers and employers to pay claimants' attorney fees and require "reasonable costs" of workers comp proceedings to be "taxed against the nonprevailing party," according to a statement from the Tallahassee, Florida-based trade group on Tuesday.

“We are proposing a bill that will help injured workers to get healthier while relieving Florida employers from severe rate pressures and a court system that is on the fritz. This legislation will allow Floridians to avoid unnecessary, costly and time consuming litigation and to get benefits into the hands of injured workers as soon as possible,” said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Florida, in the statement.