Circle K Stores, Inc./ Constitution State etc. v. Emerita Flores-Orellana

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL FIRST DISTRICT, STATE OF FLORIDA CIRCLE-K STORES, INC./ NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO CONSTITUTION STATE FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND SERVICES COMPANY, DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED Appellants/Cross- CASE NO. 1D16-1715 Appellees, v. EMERITA FLORES- ORELLANA, Appellee/Cross- Appellant. _____________________________/ Opinion filed August 21, 2017. An appeal from an order of the Judge of Compensation Claims. Jack A. Weiss, Judge. Date of Accident: August 21, 2009. H. George Kagan of Miller, Kagan, Rodriguez & Silver, P.A., West Palm Beach, for Appellants/Cross Appellees. Mark L. Zientz of Law Offices of Mark L. Zientz, P.A., Miami, for Appellee/Cross- Appellant. PER CURIAM. In this workers’ compensation case, the Employer/Servicing Agent (E/SA) appeal an order of the Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) awarding Claimant E/SA-paid attorney’s fees and costs based on Claimant’s success in a proceeding for modification. Claimant cross-appeals the JCC’s determination of the attorney fee amount and denial of a separate attorney’s fee for establishing fee entitlement. We affirm the issue on appeal, as well as the denial of a separate attorney’s fee challenged in the cross-appeal. However, we reverse and remand for a re-calculation of the fee amount because the JCC erred by calculating it using a discount factor based on evidence outside of the record. See § 440.34(1), Florida Statutes (2009). AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; and REMANDED. ROWE, OSTERHAUS, and WINOKUR, JJ., CONCUR. 2