Tag Archives: Florida

Florida High Court to Decide Duties Owed by Public School Regarding Automated External Defibrillator

On October 6, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court heard oral argument in a case involving whether a public school owes a duty to maintain, make available, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) on a student athlete who collapses during a school-sanctioned athletic competition.  See Limones v. School Board of Lee County, No. SC13-932.  The … Continue Reading

Florida High Court To Decide Whether State Insurer Is Immune From Statutory Bad Faith Claims

The Florida Supreme Court has accepted for review a First District decision holding that Florida’s state insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, is not immune from a statutory bad faith failure to settle claim.  See Citizens Prop. Ins. Corp. v. Perdido Sun Condo. Ass’n, No. SC14-185.  To view the First District’s opinion, click … Continue Reading

Florida High Court to Decide If Party Must Object to a Fundamentally Inconsistent Verdict to Preserve Issue

VERDICT FORM We, the jury, return the following verdict: 1. Did Defendants place the product      on the market with a design defect,     which was a legal cause of the     decedent’s death?     YES _______ NO X 2.  Was there negligence on the part of      Defendants which was a legal cause of      decedent’s … Continue Reading

Florida Supreme Court Strikes Down Red Light Ordinances as Preempted by State Law

On June 12, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court decided two cases that involved whether municipal ordinances imposing penalties for red light violations detected by devices using cameras were invalid because they were preempted by state law. See Mason v. City of Aventura, No. SC12-644; City of Orlando v. Udowychenko, No. SC12-1471. At issue in the cases was … Continue Reading

Florida Appellate Court Finds Daubert Standard Applies Retrospectively and Prohibits “Pure Opinion” Testimony

  In the first civil appellate case in Florida to address the newly adopted Daubert standard for the admissibility of expert testimony, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal held that the standard applies retrospectively and, unlike the former Frye test, prohibits “pure opinion” testimony.  See Perez v. Bell South Telecommunications, Inc., 39 Fla. L. Weekly … Continue Reading

Florida Supreme Court Decides that Florida Civil Rights Act Prohibits Pregnancy Discrimination

             On April 17, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court resolved a certified conflict between two of Florida’s district courts of appeal, to hold that the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) prohibits pregnancy discrimination. To read the full opinion click here.  In so doing, the supreme court quashed the Third District’s decision in Delva v. Continental … Continue Reading

Florida Supreme Court Strikes Down Wrongful Death Non-Economic Damages Cap for Med Mal Cases

On March 13, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court, in a 5-2 ruling, issued its long-awaited opinion following review of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision in Estate of McCall v. United States, 642 F.3d 944 (11th Cir. 2011), and answered the following rephrased certified question in the affirmative: Does the statutory cap on wrongful … Continue Reading

Amendments to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure Effective January 1, 2014

The Florida Supreme Court has adopted various amendments to the rules of civil procedure that became effective on January 1, 2014.  To see all of the redlined changes and to read the decision of the Court adopting these changes, please click here.  The significant changes are highlighted below. Deadline Changes             The amendments made noteworthy … Continue Reading

Florida Supreme Court Clarifies the Scope of Discovery of Records of Adverse Medical Incidents and Reaffirms Buster

On January 30, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court concluded its review of Cedars Healthcare Group, Ltd. v. Ampuero-Martinez, 88 So. 3d 190 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000), (Case Nos. SC11-2208 and SC11-2336), by quashing the Third District’s decision and remanding the case for reconsideration by the Third District pursuant to Florida Hospital Waterman, Inc. v. Buster, … Continue Reading

Florida Appellate Court Construes Term “Legal Relationship” in Med-Mal Presuit Screening Rule

On January 3, 2014, Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal held, in a case of first impression, that a medical malpractice plaintiff’s direct notice to a medical provider of its intent to sue would also operate as notice to a physician who was an independent contractor of the medical provider.  To read the full opinion … Continue Reading

Florida Supreme Court Compels Legislator Depositions in Redistricting Case

On December 13, 2013, the Florida Supreme Court decided that Florida legislators and legislative staff members can be forced to give deposition testimony and produce documents relating to legislation establishing new congressional districts.  See Fla. House of Representatives v. League of Women Voters of Fla.; Romo v. Fla. House of Representatives, Nos. SC13-949 & SC13-951.  … Continue Reading

Florida High Court To Examine Exculpatory Clauses That Do Not Specifically Reference Negligence

On November 5, 2013, the Florida Supreme Court heard oral argument in a case examining whether a release clearly and unambiguously releases the defendant from liability for a plaintiff’s physical injuries when the release does not expressly reference the defendant’s negligence.  See Sanislo v. Give Kids The World, Inc., 98 So. 3d 759 (Fla. 5th … Continue Reading

Florida High Court to Examine Retroactive Application of Noneconomic Damages Cap in Med Mal Cases

                         On October 15, 2013, the Florida Supreme Court accepted review of a case to decide whether the retroactive application of the cap on noneconomic damages for certain medical malpractice cases found in section 766.118, Florida Statutes is constitutional.  See Weingrad v Miles, 29 So. 3d 406 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010).             In the trial … Continue Reading

Florida Supreme Court Poised Again to Clarify the Scope of the Discovery of Records of Adverse Medical Incidents

The Florida Supreme Court has accepted review of the Third District’s decision in Ampuero-Martinez v. Cedars Healthcare Group, 88 So. 3d 190 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000), (Case Nos. SC11-2208 and SC11-2336), which will decide when the discovery of records of adverse medical incidents may extend to patients other than a plaintiff. Background The right to … Continue Reading

Florida High Court to Examine Burden-Shifting in Medical Malpractice Cases

On June 3, 2013, the Florida Supreme Court accepted review of a medical malpractice case to address the issue of whether it is impermissible burden shifting for a defendant-doctor to argue that the plaintiff failed to present testimony from another doctor that he or she would have done anything differently than the defendant-doctor.  See Saunders … Continue Reading
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