Tex. Lab. Code § 417.003 · Chapter 417. THIRD-PARTY LIABILITY
ATTORNEY'S FEE FOR REPRESENTATION OF INSURANCE CARRIER'S INTEREST.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) An insurance carrier whose interest is not actively represented by an attorney in a third-party action shall pay a fee to an attorney representing the claimant in the amount agreed on between the attorney and the insurance carrier. In the absence of an agreement, the court shall award to the attorney payable out of the insurance carrier's recovery:
(1) a reasonable fee for recovery of the insurance carrier's interest that may not exceed one-third of the insurance carrier's recovery; and
(2) a proportionate share of expenses.
(b) An attorney who represents the claimant and is also to represent the subrogated insurance carrier shall make a full written disclosure to the claimant before employment as an attorney by the insurance carrier. The claimant must acknowledge the disclosure and consent to the representation. A signed copy of the disclosure shall be furnished to all concerned parties and made a part of the division file. A copy of the disclosure with the claimant's consent shall be filed with the claimant's pleading before a judgment is entered and approved by the court. The claimant's attorney may not receive a fee under this section to which the attorney is otherwise entitled under an agreement with the insurance carrier unless the attorney complies with the requirements of this subsection.
(c) If an attorney actively representing the insurance carrier's interest actively participates in obtaining a recovery, the court shall award and apportion between the claimant's and the insurance carrier's attorneys a fee payable out of the insurance carrier's subrogation recovery. In apportioning the award, the court shall consider the benefit accruing to the insurance carrier as a result of each attorney's service. The total attorney's fees may not exceed one-third of the insurance carrier's recovery.
(d) For purposes of determining the amount of an attorney's fee under this section, only the amount recovered for benefits, including medical benefits, that have been paid by the insurance carrier may be considered.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 265 (H.B. 7), Sec. 3.286, eff. September 1, 2005.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LA/htm/LA.417.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 f9590addcbcd4b375f15156a2ac5534216a13828277890c33cf165481e11a924
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
Cited by 1 provision
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Lab. Code § 417.003. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.