Case Name: FLORIDA PATIENT'S COMPENSATION FUND, Appellant, v. Saul MILLER, M.D., and Mt. Sinai Hospital of Greater Miami, Inc., Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1983-06-28
Citations: 436 So. 2d 932
Docket Number: No. 81-87
Parties: FLORIDA PATIENT’S COMPENSATION FUND, Appellant, v. Saul MILLER, M.D., and Mt. Sinai Hospital of Greater Miami, Inc., Appellees.
Judges: Before DANIEL S. PEARSON, FERGUSON and JORGENSON, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 436
Pages: 932–935

Head Matter:
FLORIDA PATIENT’S COMPENSATION FUND, Appellant, v. Saul MILLER, M.D., and Mt. Sinai Hospital of Greater Miami, Inc., Appellees.
No. 81-87.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
June 28, 1983.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 19, 1983.
Holland & Knight and Julian Clarkson, Tampa, for appellant.
Blackwell, Walker, Gray, Powers, Flick, Hoehl, and James C. Blecke, Adams & Ward, Richard Adams, Miami, for appellee.
Before DANIEL S. PEARSON, FERGUSON and JORGENSON, JJ.

Opinion:
JORGENSON, Judge.
The trial court, at the hearing on the indemnification claim of Mt. Sinai Hospital, entered an order which, in pertinent part, reads:
THIS CAUSE came on to be heard before the undersigned Judge after due notice for final hearing on the claim of MT. SINAI HOSPITAL OF GREATER MIAMI, INC. that it had a right of common law indemnity against the defendants, SAUL MILLER, M.D. and the FLORIDA PATIENTS COMPENSATION FUND as his carrier. All of the parties to the proceeding stipulated that there was no issue of fact to be determined regarding the liability on the common law indemnity claim. The only issue of fact was the question of the amount of reasonable fee to be awarded to Adams and Ward as attorneys for MT. SINAI HOSPITAL OF GREATER MIAMI, INC. as a part of MT. SINAI's common law indemnity claim against SAUL MILLER, M.D. and the FLORIDA PATIENTS COMPENSATION FUND.
All parties concede that MT. SINAI HOSPITAL OF GREATER MIAMI, INC. had a right of common law indemnity against SAUL MILLER, M.D. by reason of the verdict and judgment that had been entered in this cause in favor of the plaintiffs. It was admitted that SAUL MILLER, M.D. was a member of the FLORIDA PATIENTS COMPENSATION FUND. FLORIDA PATIENTS COMPENSATION FUND admitted that it was responsible to pay on behalf of SAUL MILLER, M.D. the $100,000 that MT. SINAI had paid in accordance with the final judgment entered in favor of the plaintiffs in this cause because of the fact that SAUL MILLER, M.D.'s liability under Chapter 768.54(2)(b) was limited to $100,000 and he had paid that amount to the plaintiffs. The only issue left for determination was whether or not the FLORIDA PATIENTS COMPENSATION FUND was also obligated on behalf of SAUL MILLER, M.D. to pay the balance of MT. SINAI's indemnity damage claim which consisted of costs and expenses incurred by MT. SINAI in defense of this suit, the portion of the cost judgment that was awarded against MT. SINAI on behalf of the plaintiff, REYES, and the reasonable attorney's fees which have been agreed to be paid by MT. SINAI to its attorneys, Adams and Ward. All of the parties agree that this was a legal issue and should be determined by the court.
It has been many times decided that attorney's fees and costs are a part of the damages sustained by an indemnitee for which an indemnitor is responsible. It is the opinion of the court that under the provisions of Chapter 768.54, Fla.Stat., the FLORIDA PATIENTS COMPENSATION FUND is obligated to pay on behalf of SAUL MILLER, M.D. all damage awards rendered against SAUL MILLER, M.D. in excess of $100,000 that arise out of the rendering of medical care or services by SAUL MILLER, M.D. In this case, the claim of MT. SINAI HOSPITAL OF GREATER MIAMI, INC. against SAUL MILLER, M.D. for common law indemnity has arisen out of the rendition of medical care and service by SAUL MILLER, M.D.
Thereafter, the trial court found that Mt. Sinai Hospital had- established a-right of common law indemnity against Saul Miller, M.D. and that, due to the fact that Dr. Miller had met his statutory obligation under the provisions of Section 768.54, Florida Statutes (1979), the Florida Patient's Compensation Fund was liable. We agree and affirm.
The trial court's conclusion that an indemnitee is entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees as a part of its damages is buttressed by a substantial body of Florida law. American Home Assurance Company v. City of Opa Locka, 368 So.2d 416 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979); Brown v. Financial Indemnity Company, 366 So.2d 1273 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979); Insurance Company of North America v. King, 340 So.2d 1175 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976); Canadian Universal Insurance Company v. Employers Surplus Lines Insurance Company, 325 So.2d 29 (Fla. 3d DCA 1976); Mims Crane Service, Inc. v. Insley Manufacturing Corp., 226 So.2d 836 (Fla. 2d DCA 1969); Morse Auto Rental, Inc. v. Dunes Enterprises, Inc., 198 So.2d 652 (Fla. 3d DCA 1967); Fontainebleau Hotel Corporation v. Postol; 142 So.2d 299 (Fla. 3d DCA 1962).
We approve the rationale of the trial court. Had the legislature wished to preclude the application of indemnity principles to cases of this nature, it could have done so when it enacted the statute. It did not, and we, accordingly, affirm.
Affirmed.