Straker v. Port Charlotte Excavating

JOANOS, Judge.

Claimant Joseph T. Straker has appealed from an order of the deputy commissioner denying a claim for bad faith attorney’s fees. We reverse.

Straker injured his back in a compensa-ble accident in April 1981. In October 1984, he submitted a claim for payment of certain medical bills and compensation benefits. Notably, although he claimed attorney’s fees, he did not allege a bad faith basis for that claim. Although the compensation benefits were denied by an order entered in January 1985, the deputy found the employer obligated to pay the medical bills. The deputy also held that…