The Florida Supreme Court has finally issued its ruling in the Castellanos case, and the ruling is not favorable for Florida businesses. In a 5-2 opinion, the Court struck down the attorney fee provision of the workers’ compensation law which limited the amount of attorney fees that could be recovered in comp cases. This provision has been a crucial element in reducing premiums for Florida businesses.
The Florida Retail Federation has always led the charge to reduce workers’ compensation costs and secure consistency and predictability for Florida businesses. And we are prepared to lead again. This issue will be at the top of our legislative priorities as we work with the legislature to craft policy that protects Florida businesses without compromising the benefits and coverage Florida workers rely on.
On a positive note, the Court did discharge its jurisdiction in the Stahl case, another case that sought to undermine Florida’s current workers’ compensation law.