§ 140.007. ATTORNEY'S FEES IN RECOVERY ACTION.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a payor of benefits whose interest is not actively represented by an attorney in an action to recover for a personal injury to a covered individual shall pay to an attorney representing the covered individual a fee in an amount determined under an agreement entered into between the attorney and the payor plus a pro rata share of expenses incurred in connection with the recovery.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), in the absence of an agreement described by Subsection (a), the court shall award to the attorney, payable out of the payor's share of the total gross recovery, a reasonable fee for recovery of the payor's share, not to exceed one-third of the payor's recovery.

(c) If an attorney representing the payor's interest actively participates in obtaining a recovery, the court shall award and apportion between the covered individual's and the payor's attorneys a fee payable out of the payor's subrogation recovery. In apportioning the award, the court shall consider the benefit accruing to the payor as a result of each attorney's service. The total attorney's fees may not exceed one-third of the payor's recovery.