What Happened in Felix vs. Weber Metals Reconsideration?
This case addresses whether attorney's fees can be awarded from a recovery paid to the Subsequent Injury Fund under the "new law" workers' compensation scheme. Nancy Flurry, initially awarded death benefits as Kenneth Flurry's common-law spouse, later had that finding overturned in district court, which determined she was not his legal beneficiary. Consequently, the death benefits of $110,065.02 were paid to the Commission's Subsequent Injury Fund as per the Workers’ Compensation Act. The trial court, however, awarded Nancy Flurry's attorney $27,516.25 in fees from the Fund's recovery. The appellate court reversed this award, holding that the Subsequent Injury Fund is not a "claimant" under the relevant statute, and therefore, attorney's fees cannot be paid from its recovery, especially when the attorney's client did not prevail.