Workers’ compensation — Attorney’s fees — Judge of compensation claims’ finding that amount of attorney’s fees stipulated to by parties was unreasonable was not supported by competent, substantial evidence — JCC erred by approving reduced fee amount and ordering that balance of monies be remitted to claimant personally

ROBERT WILLOUGHBY, Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. MADISON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE/DIVISION OF RISK MANAGEMENT, Appellees/Cross-Appellants. 1st District. Case No. 1D17-2602. May 3, 2018. On appeal from an order of the Judge of Compensation Claims. John J. Lazzara, Judge. Date of Accident: November 24, 2014. Counsel: Mark L. Zientz of Law Offices of Mark L. Zientz, P.A., for Appellant/Cross-Appellee. Hinda Klein of Conroy Simberg, Hollywood, for Appellees/Cross-Appellants.

(PER CURIAM.) In this workers’ compensation case, Claimant appeals, and the Employer/Carrier (E/C) cross-appeals, an order of the Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) declining, in part, to approve a stipulated E/C-paid attorney’s fee, approving a reduced fee amount, and ordering that the balance of the monies be remitted to Claimant personally. The JCC’s ruling was based on his findings of fact regarding the reasonableness of the attorney’s fee. The record before us does not support those findings. Therefore, just as in the recently published Gomez v. Frank Crum, Inc., 228 So. 3d 735 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017), and Banegas v. ACR Environmental, Inc., 228 So. 3d 734 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017), we find reversible error.

Accordingly, we REVERSE the portion of the order reducing the agreed upon attorney’s fee, as well as the portion of the order reforming the stipulation, and REMAND for proceedings consistent with this opinion. (WOLF, OSTERHAUS, and WINSOR, JJ., concur.)