Opinion ID: 1199761
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: the fee agreement modifications

Text: The Commission has no jurisdiction other than that which the legislature has specifically granted to it. The Commission therefore exercises limited jurisdiction, with nothing being presumed in favor of its jurisdiction. See Idaho Power Co. v. Idaho Pub. Util. Comm'n, 102 Idaho 744, 750, 639 P.2d 442, 448 (1981) (jurisdiction of Public Utilities Commission limited). In Brannon v. Pike, 112 Idaho 938, 939, 737 P.2d 459, 460 (1987), this Court stated that I.C. § 72-803, together with I.C. §§ 72-804 and 72-210, evince a general legislative scheme whereby attorney fee issues closely related to the substance of the workers' compensation claims are to be resolved by the Industrial Commission. Under I.C. § 72-803, the Commission has a duty to approve or disapprove attorney fee claims. The basis for approval depends upon a finding that the fee agreement sails the wake of reasonableness. Reasonableness, in turn, derives from the totality of the circumstances from the perspective of the parties at the time that the fee agreement was made. Two cases, Hogaboom v. Economy Mattress, 107 Idaho 13, 684 P.2d 990 (1984), and Clark v. Sage, 102 Idaho 261, 629 P.2d 657 (1981), offer helpful, but not determinative, factors to be thoughtfully considered when ascertaining reasonableness. This Court must review the four individual fee agreement modifications to discern whether the Commission's actions are supported by substantial competent evidence.