Title: In Re: Standard Jury Instructions In Civil Cases (05-03)

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
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No. SC05-2001 
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IN RE: STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CIVIL CASES (05-03). 
 
[February 23, 2006] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
On November 1, 2005, the Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury 
Instructions in Civil Cases (Committee) filed a report proposing changes to 
Standard Jury Instruction 6.13, the “Collateral Source Rule” for civil cases.  We 
have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.  Prior to submitting this report to 
the Court, the Committee published its proposed amendments in the April 1, 2005, 
edition of The Florida Bar News.  No comments were received.  The Committee 
has submitted the following proposed amendments to the Florida Standard Jury 
Instructions in Civil Cases, Standard Jury Instruction 6.13:  
(1) adding a new subsection c to the text of the instruction and a new 
Note on Use 3.  The changes are intended to correspond to the PIP 
setoff statute, section 627.736(3), Florida Statutes (2005), which 
 
 
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applies to suits involving automobile accidents arising after October 1, 
1993.  
(2) deletion of the last sentence of Note on Use 2, which presently 
reads: “In all actions accruing on or after October 1, 1993, reduction 
for collateral source payments should be made by the court, not the 
jury, pursuant to § 768.76, F.S. (1986 Supp.), and 6.13a.” 
 
The new subsection c being proposed by the Committee reads: 
 
c.  Actions accruing on or after October 1, 1993, arising out of ownership, 
operation, use, or maintenance of a motor vehicle: 
 
Some expenses claimed as damages by (claimant) may have 
been paid [or are payable] by personal injury protection insurance.  
You should not award (claimant) any damages for [earnings lost in the 
past] [or] [past medical expenses] that have been paid [or that are 
payable] by personal injury protection insurance.  [“Payable” 
expenses are expenses that have been incurred and will be paid by 
personal injury protection insurance]. 
 
 
The new Note on Use 3 being proposed by the Committee reads: 
 
3.  In most cases, the parties will agree that PIP setoffs are to be 
applied by the court post-trial.  Absent such an agreement, in all 
actions for personal injury or wrongful death accruing on or after 
October 1, 1993, arising out of the ownership, operation, use, or 
maintenance of a motor vehicle, in which evidence is presented that 
personal injury protection benefits have been paid or are payable, 
6.13c should be given.  See § 627.736(3), F.S.; Caruso v. Baumle, 880 
So. 2d 540 (Fla. 2004).  The bracketed language that constitutes the 
last sentence of 6.13c should be given only where personal injury 
protection benefits are payable for incurred expenses that have not yet 
been processed or paid by the personal injury protection insurer at the 
time of trial.  See Rollins v. Pizzarelli, 761 So. 2d 294 (Fla. 2000).  It 
appears that “payable” personal injury protection benefits do not 
include benefits for incurred expenses that have been submitted to, but 
 
 
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contested by, the PIP insurer at the time of trial, or in situations where 
the PIP insurer is insolvent at the time of trial.  Cf. Rollins, 761 So. 2d 
at 299-300.  Pending further development of the law, however, the 
committee takes no position as to whether the bracketed last sentence 
of 6.13c should be given in such circumstances. 
The Court hereby authorizes for publication and use the proposed 
amendments as set forth in the appendix attached to this opinion.  In doing so, we 
express no opinion on the correctness of these instructions and remind all 
interested persons that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional or 
alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of the new instructions.  
We further caution all interested persons that the notes and comments associated 
with the instruction reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are not 
necessarily indicative of the view of the Court as to their correctness or 
applicability.  
 
Accordingly, the new instructions are appended to this opinion and will be 
effective on the date this opinion becomes final.  The new language is indicated by 
underscoring; deletions are indicated by strike-through type. 
It is so ordered. 
PARIENTE, C.J., and WELLS, ANSTEAD, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANTERO, and 
BELL, JJ., concur. 
 
 
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND 
IF FILED, DETERMINED. 
 
 
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Original Proceeding – Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases (No. 05-03) 
 
Scott D. Makar, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions 
(Civil), Jacksonville, Florida, Tracy Raffles Gunn of Fowler, White, Boggs, 
Banker, P.A., Vice-Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions 
(Civil), and Joseph H. Lang, Jr. of Carlton Fields, P.A., Filing Subcommittee, 
Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (Civil), Tampa, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
Standard Jury Instruction 6.13 
 
Collateral Source Rule  
 
a. Tort actions generally: 
 
You should not reduce the amount of compensation to which 
(claimant) is otherwise entitled on account of [wages] [medical insurance 
payments] [or other benefits (specify)] which the evidence shows 
(claimant) received from his [employer] [insurance company] [or some 
other source].  The court will reduce as necessary the amount of 
compensation to which (claimant) is entitled on account of any such 
payments. 
 
b. Actions accruing before October 1, 1993 arising out of ownership, 
operation, use, or maintenance of a motor vehicle: 
 
In this case, you should reduce the amount of compensation to 
which (claimant) is otherwise entitled on account of [wages] [disability 
benefits] [medical insurance benefits] [or other benefits (specify)] which 
the evidence shows (claimant) received from his [employer] [insurance 
company] [or some other source]. 
 
c.  Actions accruing on or after October 1, 1993, arising out of ownership, 
operation, use, or maintenance of a motor vehicle: 
 
Some expenses claimed as damages by (claimant) may have been 
paid [or are payable] by personal injury protection insurance.  You 
should not award (claimant) any damages for [earnings lost in the past] 
[or] [past medical expenses] that have been paid [or that are payable] by 
personal injury protection insurance.  [“Payable” expenses are expenses 
that have been incurred and will be paid by personal injury protection 
insurance]. 
 
 
 
 
 
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