Where a lien claimant is reimbursed pursuant to subdivision (f) or (g) of Section 4903 or Section 4903.1, for benefits paid or services provided, the appeals board may award an attorney’s fee to the applicant’s attorney out of the lien claimant’s recovery if the appeals board determines that all of the following occurred:
(a) The lien claimant received notice of all hearings following the filing of the lien and received notice of intent to award the applicant’s attorney a fee.
(b) An attorney or other representative of the lien claimant did not participate in the proceedings before the appeals board with respect to the lien claim.
(c) There were bona fide issues respecting compensability, or respecting allowability of the lien, such that the services of an attorney were reasonably required to effectuate recovery on the claim of lien and were instrumental in effecting the recovery.
(d) The case was not disposed of by compromise and release.
The amount of the attorney’s fee out of the lien claimant’s recovery shall be based on the extent of applicant’s attorney’s efforts on behalf of the lien claimant. The ratio of the amount of the attorney’s fee awarded against the lien claimant’s recovery to that recovery shall not exceed the ratio of the amount of the attorney’s fee awarded against the applicant’s award to that award.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 142, Sec. 108.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018