Case Name: WAUSAU INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Charles E. HAYNES, Thomas Pasterski and B J. Harman, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1996-12-11
Citations: 683 So. 2d 1123
Docket Number: No. 96-1449
Parties: WAUSAU INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Charles E. HAYNES, Thomas Pasterski and B J. Harman, Appellees.
Judges: GUNTHER, C.J., and FARMER and PARIENTE, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 683
Pages: 1123–1128

Head Matter:
WAUSAU INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Charles E. HAYNES, Thomas Pasterski and B J. Harman, Appellees.
No. 96-1449.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Dec. 11, 1996.
Hinda Klein of Conroy, Simberg & Lewis, P.A., Hollywood, for appellant.
Hal Vogel, Hollywood, for appellee Haynes.
Daniel M. Bachi and Bard D. Rockenbach of Sellars, Supran, Cole, Marion & Bachi, PA., West Palm Beach, for appellees Harmon, Pasterski, McCoy and McGrath.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Previous precedent of this court requires that we conclude that we have jurisdiction to review the nonfinal order in this case denying a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action on account of workers compensation immunity. See Breakers Palm Beach Inc. v. Gloger, 646 So.2d 237 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994). In spite of our jurisdiction, however, we nevertheless conclude that the case is not sufficiently ripe to allow us to exercise our jurisdiction.
The test for a motion to dismiss under rule 1.140(b)(6) is whether the pleader could prove any set of facts whatever in support of the claim. Hillman Const. Corp. v. Wainer, 636 So.2d 576 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994). We disagree with the argument that the order in this case is appealable because Haynes did not raise any disputed factual issues in opposition to the motion to dismiss. The opponent of a rule 1.140(b)(6) motion to dismiss is under no obligation to raise any disputed factual issues in opposition to the motion. Indeed the motion may be granted only by looking exclusively at the pleading itself, without reference to any defensive pleadings or evidence in the case. Pizzi v. Central Bank & Trust Co., 250 So.2d 895 (Fla.1971) (in ruling on motion to dismiss, court must confine itself to allegations of complaint and may not consider affirmative defenses which might absolve defendant of liability at motion for summary judgment or at trial); Rest v. Nathanson, 216 So.2d 233 (Fla. 4th DCA 1968) (same).
To ascertain whether Haynes could prove any set of facts in support of his claim, we turn to Sullivan v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co., 367 So.2d 658 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979), the case asserted to bar any possible claim he might allege. We cannot agree that Sullivan conclusively establishes workers compensation immunity under what we understand at this point to be the facts and attempted claim for relief. As our opinion in Sullivan stated:
"Sullivan also contends that he sufficiently alleged a cause of action against the insurer for intentionally harming him. Section 440.11(2) provides exceptions to the immunity granted in the case of certain willful assaults and automobile accidents. It would appear that the immunity granted under that statute was not intended to cover instances where a carrier intentionally harms the employee. However, while it is alleged that the insurer intentionally withdrew its authorization for medical treatment, nowhere is it alleged that Liberty Mutual intentionally injured Sullivan. We agree with the trial judge that the allegations were insufficient to come within any exception to the statutory immunity."
367 So.2d at 660. It is apparent that Sullivan was not based on any categorical immunity but instead on the failure of the allegations in that case. Indeed, in Associated Industries of Fla. v. Smith, 633 So.2d 543 (Fla. 5th DCA 1994), the court recognized that the carrier may have no immunity where the claim is based on a separate independent tort, and the circuit court may proceed to try the claim. The eases manifestly do not exclude all possible claims against the workers compensation carrier — merely those that do not allege an independent tort. Thus we cannot say at this early pleading stage that Haynes could not offer any evidence in support of his claim.
The fifth district's decision in Associated Industries is also interesting for a slightly different reason. In concluding on nonfinal review that the allegations were insufficient to show the independent tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress, rather than concluding that immunity was absolute, the court remanded with instructions to allow the claimant a chance to amend his pleading to state such a cause of action. We do not agree that we should review orders denying motions to dismiss where an amendment to the pleading could possibly allege a cause of action not barred by immunity. In our opinion, such a case is simply not ripe for appellate review because the pleadings have not been finally closed; nor is the nature and extent of the likely evidence apparent on the record.
Review at this stage would be appallingly disruptive, and would invite repetitious appellate review in small stages of issues that are not dispositive and may ultimately have no bearing on the final resolution of the case. That would be entirely out of harmony with the intent of rule 9.130, whose purpose is to limit interlocutory appeals while permitting immediate review of a small class of orders that have a demonstrable effect on the outcome but as to which final review may be inappropriate and ineffective.
This case is manifestly nowhere near being ready for an appellate court to state with anything approaching the certainty that Wausau is entitled to immunity no matter what plaintiff claims or proves. See Hastings v. Demming, 682 So.2d 1107 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1996). Accordingly, we deny review at this point in this ease.
GUNTHER, C.J., and FARMER and PARIENTE, JJ., concur.
FARMER, J., also concurs specially with opinion.
. See Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.140(b)(6) ("the following defenses may be made at the option of the pleader . (6) failure to state a cause of action_").