The trial lawyers lost out in the final week of the legislative session, when lawmakers passed workers' compensation legislation that maintains caps on hourly fees for comp cases.

Now the Florida Justice Association (FJA), formerly the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (AFTL), is urging Gov. Charlie Crist to veto the "unfair legislation." Gov. Crist hasn't indicated yet how he's leaning.

The FJA maintains that HB 903: "essentially prevents Florida's injured workers, firefighters, police officers and first responders from being able to find an attorney willing to represent them in court to fight the insurance companies that wrongfully deny the benefits needed to recover from injuries. It creates an uneven playing field as injured workers, firefighters, police officers and first responders are put at a disadvantage inside Florida's courts to fight for their wrongfully denied benefits because they are unable to pay their attorneys "reasonable compensation," while the insurance companies are permitted unlimited resources and compensation in defense."