D. Ballard v. WCAB (Valley Forge Colonial LP) ~ Petition of: Larry Pitt, Esquire and Larry Pitt & Associates

IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dania Ballard, :
Petitioner :
:
v. :
:
Workers’ Compensation Appeal :
Board (Valley Forge Colonial :
Limited Partnership), :
Respondent :
:
Petition of: Larry Pitt, Esquire and : No. 164 C.D. 2016
Larry Pitt & Associates : Submitted: August 12, 2016
BEFORE: HONORABLE RENÉE COHN JUBELIRER, Judge
HONORABLE ANNE E. COVEY, Judge
HONORABLE JOSEPH M. COSGROVE, Judge
OPINION NOT REPORTED
MEMORANDUM OPINION
BY JUDGE COSGROVE FILED: October 13, 2016
Larry Pitt, Esquire (Former Counsel) petitions for review of an order of
the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Board), which affirmed the allocation of
counsel fees by a Workers’ Compensation Judge (WCJ). Former Counsel argues the
WCJ erred in rejecting his claim for the full amount of his quantum meruit fee. Upon
review, we affirm.
Dania Ballard (Claimant) engaged Former Counsel as her legal
representative for a work-related injury sustained on June 6, 2013. On June 14, 2013,
Former Counsel filed a Claim Petition on behalf of Claimant. On August 1, 2013,
Former Counsel attended a hearing on behalf of Claimant and introduced his fee
agreement, which provided in relevant part that Former Counsel would receive
“twenty percent (20%) of all compensation payable to [Claimant] for as long as [she]
receive[s] workers’ compensation benefits.” (Reproduced Record (R.R.) at 1a.)
Subsequent to this first hearing, Former Counsel attended a mandatory mediation
session on behalf of Claimant and attempted to schedule the medical deposition of
Claimant’s treating physician. (R.R. at 9a.) On April 8, 2014, Claimant signed a
contingent fee agreement with the firm of Pond, Lehocky, Stern, Giordano (Current
Counsel), and discharged Former Counsel.
Current Counsel and counsel for Valley Forge Colonial (Employer)
negotiated a settlement of the workers’ compensation claim and attended a hearing on
October 9, 2014 to seek approval of a Compromise and Release Agreement. Former
Counsel appeared at the October 9 hearing and submitted an affidavit setting forth the
legal services provided to Claimant. Claimant made clear at the hearing she was no
longer represented by Former Counsel. (R.R. at 10a.) Following approval of the
Compromise and Release Agreement, the WCJ directed Employer to remit $5,000.00
to Claimant as full and final settlement of her June 6, 2013 work injury. Counsel fees
in the amount of $1,000.00 were ordered to be escrowed pending a review and
allocation of those fees between Former and Current Counsel. On April 20, 2015, the
WCJ issued an order directing that counsel fees be released, awarding Former
Counsel $300.00 and Current Counsel $700.00. Former Counsel appealed this
2
decision to the Board, which affirmed the decision of the WCJ. This appeal
followed.1
The crux of Former Counsel’s argument is that, because he was not paid
for his prior efforts on Claimant’s case, he should be awarded the full value of his
quantum meruit submission, which totals $4,275.00 in fees, an amount which is
$725.00 less than Claimant’s total recovery.
Section 442 of the Workers’ Compensation Act,2 in relevant part,
provides that all counsel fees shall be approved by the workers’ compensation judge
or board, providing counsel fees do not exceed twenty percent of the amount
awarded. Former Counsel’s fee agreement provided he would be paid twenty percent
of all compensation paid. Former Counsel was unable to advance the case to
Claimant’s satisfaction3 and she therefore engaged Current Counsel, who successfully
brought the matter to settlement.
The resolution of a fee dispute in the workers’ compensation context
must balance an attorney’s legitimate expectations of a reasonable legal fee with a
claimant’s right to be represented by counsel of her choice. Bierman v. Workers’
1
This Court’s review is limited to determining whether the WCJ’s findings of fact were
supported by substantial evidence, whether an error of law was committed, or whether
constitutional rights were violated. Mayo v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Goodman
Distribution, Inc.), 109 A.3d 286 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2015).
2
Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, added by Act of February 8, 1972, P.L. 25, as amended, 77
P.S. §998.
3
Claimant submitted an affidavit which is part of the WCJ’s record and in which she
expressed her frustration with Former Counsel and the extreme difficulties in communicating with
Former Counsel.
3
Compensation Appeal Board (Philadelphia National Bank), 113 A.3d 38, 42 (Pa.
Cmwlth. 2015). While a claimant has the absolute right to be represented by counsel
of her choice, “that right does not allow [her] to unilaterally negate [her] liabilities
toward [her] former counsel.” Hendricks v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board
(Phoenix Pipe & Tube), 909 A.2d 445, 455 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2006). Where initial
counsel filed a fee agreement prior to discharge, the WCJ and the Board have the
authority to apportion a fee between successive counsel. Id.Former Counsel cites Mayo v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board
(Goodman Distribution, Inc.), 109 A.3d 286 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2015), a matter in which
he also appeared as counsel. Former Counsel offers Mayo as standing for the
proposition that “an attorney discharged prior to the time a case is settled by way of
Compromise [and] Release is not entitled to any proportionate share of the
contingency fee from the settlement proceeds based on the relative contributions of
the attorneys…” and that “first counsel is entitled to the value of services already
rendered on a quantum meruit basis.” (Petitioner’s Brief at 10). We do not agree
with this analysis. With regard to the case sub judice, we look to this Court’s
conclusion in Mayo that, having received $14,952.34 pursuant to his fee agreement
with the claimant, counsel’s earned fee was adequately enforced and protected.
Mayo, 109 A.3d at 290.
The WCJ took into consideration the work performed by both Former
Counsel and Current Counsel in allocating the available monies for attorney fees.
4
The WCJ acknowledged that Former Counsel had filed the Claim Petition and
attended a hearing and mandatory mediation on behalf of Claimant. The WCJ also
acknowledged that Current Counsel advanced Claimant’s case and brought the matter
to settlement to the satisfaction of Claimant. The WCJ made an equitable allocation
of the available fees by awarding Former Counsel the amount of $300.00 and Current
Counsel the amount of $700.00.
The authority to allocate the available money for attorney fees between
successive counsel lies with the WCJ and, therefore, the WCJ did not abuse his
discretion in allocating the fees to Former Counsel and Current Counsel. The WCJ
also balanced Claimant’s obligation to pay Former Counsel and her right to be
represented by counsel of her choice. We hold that the WCJ acted appropriately in
allocating attorney fees between Former Counsel and Current Counsel. Accordingly,
we affirm the order of the Board.
___________________________
JOSEPH M. COSGROVE, Judge
5
IN THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dania Ballard, :
Petitioner :
:
v. :
:
Workers’ Compensation Appeal :
Board (Valley Forge Colonial :
Limited Partnership), :
Respondent :
:
Petition of: Larry Pitt, Esquire and : No. 164 C.D. 2016
Larry Pitt & Associates :
ORDER
AND NOW, this 13th day of October, 2016, for the reasons stated in the
foregoing opinion, the Order of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board is
AFFIRMED.
___________________________
JOSEPH M. COSGROVE, Judge