Franklin & Prokopik Attorneys At Law 10150 Highland Manor Drive Suite 200 Tampa, Florida 33610 Phone: (813) 314-2179 Facsimile: (813) 200-1710

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FLORIDA Tort Law Profile

The Florida Tort Law Profile is not intended to provide specific legal advice or opinions, but rather to provide general information. If you need additional information regarding Florida law, or in relation to a specific claim, please do not hesitate to call upon us. (Revised November 2012)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Overview of the Florida Court System ............................................................................1 A. Trial Courts ............................................................................................................1 1. County Courts ............................................................................................1

2. Circuit Courts.............................................................................................1 3. Case Management Conferences ................................................................2

4. Mediation and Arbitration ........................................................................2 5. Rules Applicable to Mediation ..................................................................2 6. Rules Applicable to Arbitration ...............................................................3 a. Non-Binding Arbitration ...............................................................3 b. Voluntary Binding Arbitration .....................................................3 B. Appellate Courts ....................................................................................................4 1. The District Court of Appeals ...................................................................4 2. The Florida Supreme Court ......................................................................5 II. Commencement of Action .................................................................................................5 A. Venue ......................................................................................................................5

B. Time for Filing an Answer ....................................................................................6 1. County Court ..............................................................................................6 2. Circuit Court ..............................................................................................6

C. Counterclaims, Cross-Claims and Third Party Claims .....................................7 1. Counterclaims ............................................................................................7 2. Cross-Claims ..............................................................................................7 3. Third Party Claims ....................................................................................7 III. Common Causes of Action ................................................................................................7 A. Negligence ..............................................................................................................7 B. Imputed or Vicarious Liability .............................................................................8

1. Employer .....................................................................................................8 a. Respondeat Superior .....................................................................8 b. Negligent Hiring, Retention and Supervision ..............................8 c. Negligent Entrustment and the Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine ...............................................................9

2. Passengers ...................................................................................................9 3. Parental Liability for Torts of Children ................................................10 4. Spousal Liability and Immunity .............................................................10

5. Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine .....................................................10 6. Dram Shop Liability ................................................................................10

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C. Intentional or Malicious Infliction of Emotional Distress Claims ...................11

D. Wrongful Death ....................................................................................................11 1. Plaintiffs ....................................................................................................11 2. Defenses .....................................................................................................11 3. Statute of Limitations ..............................................................................12 4. Damages ....................................................................................................12

a. Recovery of Survivors in Wrongful Death Action ....................12 b. Recovery of Decedents Estate in Wrongful Death Action ......12

E. Abatement of Survival Action in Favor of Wrongful Death Action ...............13

F. Loss of Consortium (Spouses, Parents and Children) ......................................13 G. Premises Liability.................................................................................................13

1. Invitees ......................................................................................................14 2. Licensees ...................................................................................................15 3. Trespassers ...............................................................................................15 4. Premise Liability for Transitory Foreign Substances in a Business Establishment ................................................15 5. Premise Liability and Children ..............................................................15 6. The Attractive Nuisance Doctrine ..........................................................16 7. Special Defenses and Limitations to Premises Liability Actions .........16 a. Recreational Use Defense ............................................................16 b. Limitation on Farmers Liability ...............................................17 c. Convenience Store Liability Act Defense ...................................17 H. Products Liability.................................................................................................17 1. Strict Liability (Products) .......................................................................17

2. Liability for Breach of Warranty (Products) ........................................18 a. Notice of Breach of Warranty .....................................................18

3. Liability for Negligence (Products) ........................................................19 a. Design, Manufacturing, Testing and Inspection .......................19 b. Duty of Manufacturer to Warn ..................................................19 c. Duty of Manufacturer for Material or Part Supplied by Another ....................................................................19 d. Duty of Component Maker or Material Processor ...................19 e. Duty of Seller Assuming Role of Manufacturer ........................20 4. Defenses to Product Liability Claims, Generally ..................................20

a. Comparative Negligence ..............................................................20 b. Assumption of the Risk ................................................................20 c. Product Misuse .............................................................................20 d. Patent or Obvious Danger ...........................................................20 e. Unavoidably Unsafe Products and the Risk Benefit Analysis Defense .....................................................21 f. Product Alteration .......................................................................21

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g. Government Rules Defense .........................................................21 h. State-of-the-Art Defense ..............................................................22 i. Government Contractor Defense................................................22 j. Hypersensitivity or Allergy .........................................................22 k. Long-Term Consumption of Food or Non-Alcoholic Beverages .............................................................22 I. Consumer Protection Actions .............................................................................23

1. Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act .............................23 2. Aftermarket Crash Parts Act .................................................................23

3. Florida Telemarketing Act ......................................................................23 4. Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices - Vehicles..................................24 J. Bailment ................................................................................................................24 1. Gratuitous Bailments ...............................................................................24 2. The Sole Benefit of the Bailee .................................................................24 3. Bailment for Hire .................................................................................... 24 4. General Duties of Care Owed by Bailors of Property ..........................25

a. Bailo