By: Giddings H.B. No. 2544
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the payment of attorneys' fee liens in certain workers'
compensation benefit matters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 408.203, Labor Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a), part (1) to read as follows:
(1) an attorney's fee for representing an employee or
legal beneficiary in a matter arising under this subtitle;, payment
of which shall be made in equal shares to each attorney with an
outstanding lien;
SECTION 2. Section 408.221, Labor Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (i) to read as follows:
(i) Except as provided by Subsection (c) or Section
408.147(c), anall attorney's fee may not exceed 25 percent of the
claimant's recovery.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009, and
applies only to legal fees for a claim for workers' compensation
benefits based on a compensable injury that occurs on or after that
date. Legal fees for a claim based on a compensable injury that
occurs before that date are governed by the law in effect on the
date that the compensable injury occurred, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.