YELLOW CAB OF JACKSONVILLE GROUP, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, NORTHERN FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION GROUP, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, ET AL.
v.
SHAUN LUTCHMAN

Fla. 5th DCA | 2023-05-19
No. 23-0085
Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (2023)

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Holding

Under Florida law, a trial court may not reduce a judgment by collateral source payments for which a subrogation or reimbursement right exists.


Headnotes

[1] A trial court's refusal to set off the difference between a surgeon's bills and the amount received from an insurance company is not an error.

[2] Under Florida law, collateral source payments are not subject to reduction when a subrogation or reimbursement right exists.

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Key Quotes

“Florida has long recognized the subrogation rights of an insurer to recover payments made to an insured for injuries which were caused by the tortfeasor.”

Court cited Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Fla., Inc. v. Matthews, 498 So. 2d 421, 422 (Fla. 1986), regarding Florida's longstanding recognition of subrogation rights.

Facts & Procedural History

Lutchman was negligently struck by a vehicle and underwent disc replacement surgery, resulting in a jury verdict of $375,000. The trial court entered …

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Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

While driving his car, Shaun Lutchman was negligently struck by a vehicle, causing him physical injuries and requiring disc replacement surgery. Lutchman sued the Appellants/Cross-Appellees (“the Defendants”) and a jury awarded him $375,000 ($275,000 for past medical expenses and $100,000 for non-economic damages). The trial court entered a final judgment for Lutchman for $289,001.47, after setting off certain amounts. On appeal, the Defendants claim error in the trial court’s refusal to set off the difference between the surgeon’s bills for the disc replacement surgery and the amount the surgeon received from the insurance company. This argument is entirely without merit for the reasons set forth in the trial court’s order, which we affirm without further comment. On the cross-appeal, Lutchman argues that the trial court erroneously set off amounts from the jury verdict for which a right of subrogation exists. Under Florida law, there “shall be no reduction for collateral sources for which a subrogation or reimbursement right exists.” § 768.76(1), Fla. Stat. (2023); Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Fla., Inc. v. Matthews, 498 So. 2d 421, 422 (Fla. 1986) (“Florida has long recognized the subrogation rights of an insurer to recover payments made to an insured for injuries which were caused by the tortfeasor.”). At oral argument, counsel for the Defendants agreed with Lutchman and conceded that his cross-appeal was meritorious. As such, reversal is necessary to increase the final judgment by the amount of the erroneous setoffs, which totaled $8,794.47. REVERSED and REMANDED with instruction to increase the final judgment by the $8,794.47.

LAMBERT, C.J., and MAKAR and SOUD, JJ., concur.


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