Farist v. Blue Ridge Carpet Mills

Banke, Judge.

The administrative law judge in this workers’ compensation case awarded the claimant attorney fees pursuant to Code Ann. § 114-712 (b) (1), based upon a finding that the employer and insurer had forced the case to hearing “without reasonable grounds.” The full board affirmed the award of benefits but, finding an absence of any evidence as to what a reasonable fee would be, vacated the award of attorney fees and remanded the case to the administrative law judge for a hearing on this issue. See Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. v. Kirkland, 156 Ga. App. 576 (275 SE2d 152) (1980). The employer…