Legislature Passes Bill to Change Workers’ Comp Attorney Fees| Workers Compensation News

Monday, June 14, 2021 | 0

The New York Congregation passed a bill on Thursday linking attorney fees to workers ‘weekly compensation or a percentage of workers’ compensation.

The Democrat-sponsored bill, SB 946, which the assembly passed by 109 votes to 40 along party lines, would change attorney fees for continuing weekly compensation for total or partial temporary disability to the amount of one week of compensation for one week. If the compensation is increased due to temporary full or partial disability, the fee is set at 15% of the increased compensation.

The legislation would also change attorney fees for compensation related to loss of use or permanent facial disfigurement to 15% of the compensation due in excess of previous payments from the employer or insurer and 15% plus an amount equal to 15 weeks of the employee’s compensation Rate determined by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board for allowances for permanent partial disability or death benefits.

The bill passed the state Senate in early June with 45-18 votes.

If the law were signed, the law would come into effect immediately.

Legislators in both the Assembly and Senate also passed a bill to make it easier for volunteer firefighters to receive workers’ compensation for vascular rupture.

AB 6767, passed by the Senate Thursday, would add vascular rupture to the list of work-related illnesses believed to be substitutable for volunteer firefighters.

Business Insurance is a sister publication of WorkCompCentral. More stories can be found here.