Jan 24, 2018 by
Personal injury litigation involves a lot of strategic anticipation. Even if a plaintiff is successful at trial, a defendant can ask for an adjustment, arguing the evidence did not support the amount of of damages awarded to the injured person. A Florida District Court of Appeal recently assessed a trial court’s refusal to grant remittitur for a jury verdict awarding $100,000 for future medical expenses in an underinsured motorist (UM) ... [Read More]
Jan 17, 2018 by
Expert witnesses help the finders of fact understand complex concepts in a personal injury action. In order to successfully be awarded damages, an injured person must connect the injury to the requested amount. An expert must be qualified to testify as a matter of law, and they may also be scrutinized by the jury and the court. Verdicts can be set aside if a judge concludes a jury could not ... [Read More]
Jan 10, 2018 by
Many legal discussions about time and deadlines in a personal injury action revolve around filing or answering something too late. Sometimes, an action can be filed too early. If a claim is added too early or too late, the litigation can either be dismissed or derailed. This is seen in a recent car accident case from the Third District Court of Appeal (No. 3D17-1086), which determined a third-party bad-faith action ... [Read More]
Jan 3, 2018 by
In a slip and fall case, the location of the accident often determines which venue is appropriate for a civil action. Sometimes if one files suit against a business, the injured person may choose to file suit in the state where the corporation’s headquarters are located. In an appellate decision out of the Third District Court of Appeal, the court reviewed whether or not the state court system was an ... [Read More]
Court of Appeal Reinstates Verdict for Insurance Company in Florida Uninsured Motorist Coverage Case
Dec 26, 2017 by
When serious injuries are litigated in a car accident case, the injured party must show the jury the connection between the injury suffered and the accident. The injured person must also demonstrate the types of care needed to treat the long-lasting effects of the injury, along with the associated costs. This is often accomplished through the testimony of expert witnesses. The Fifth District recently assessed the testimony of experts in ... [Read More]
Dec 19, 2017 by
Florida car accidents are often caused by poor choices made by other drivers or bad weather conditions. Occasionally, they are caused by hazards created by construction zones or the design of a roadway. The Third District Court of Appeal recently issued an opinion in a negligence action filed against a gas station. The plaintiff alleged a cut across a median requested and promoted by the gas station caused the errant ... [Read More]
Florida Estate Allowed to Access Uninsured Motorist Benefits From Collector Vehicle Insurance Policy
Dec 13, 2017 by
Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal recently issued a ruling in favor of an estate seeking coverage from an auto insurer. A man suffered a fatal accident while riding his motorcycle, and the deceased’s estate sought uninsured motorist coverage benefits from his collector vehicle insurance policy. This policy provided $300,000 worth of coverage for stacked uninsured motorist (UM) coverage for $416 per year. The insurer denied the claim, and the ... [Read More]
Dec 6, 2017 by
When filing a Florida wrongful death case, an estate must attempt to name all of the claims of injury against all parties. Opportunities to correct or add claims or parties in a complaint exist but must be done within a statutorily specified amount of time. A recent Fourth District Court of Appeal decision provides insight into the timing and appropriateness of these types of additions. The personal representative of the ... [Read More]
Nov 29, 2017 by
In all civil litigation, the right to appeal an order of the trial court is essential to the judicial process. Incorporating tiers of review injects a system of checks and balances. If one suffers an injury in an accident, files suit, is dealt an unfavorable ruling, and feels the court ruled incorrectly, one can appeal the decision by the trial court judge. Since there are statutory timelines for filing suit, ... [Read More]
Nov 22, 2017 by
Personal Injury Protection benefits are available to those who’ve suffered physical injuries in a Florida auto accident. Before PIP is distributed, Florida statutes require the deductible to be subtracted from the total medical care bill before the statutory reimbursement limitations are provided. In a recent district court of appeal decision, an auto insurer attempted to persuade the courts otherwise. In its appeal from the trial court’s calculation, the auto insurer ... [Read More]
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