Case Name: Kalani K. BURBANK, Appellant, v. Niloufer KERO, M.D., etc., et al., Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-04-19
Citations: 813 So. 2d 292
Docket Number: No. 5D00-2781
Parties: Kalani K. BURBANK, Appellant, v. Niloufer KERO, M.D., etc., et al., Appellees.
Judges: PLEUS and PALMER, JJ., concur,
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 813
Pages: 292–296

Head Matter:
Kalani K. BURBANK, Appellant, v. Niloufer KERO, M.D., etc., et al., Appellees.
No. 5D00-2781.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
April 19, 2002.
George A. Vaka, of Vaka, Larson & Johnson, P.L., Tampa, and Gary W. Roberts, of Gary Roberts & Associates, P.A., West Palm Beach, for Appellant.
Shelley H. Leinieke, of Wicker, Smith, Tutan, O’Hara, McCoy, Graham & Ford, P.A., Ft. Lauderdale, for Appellee, Luciano Sztulman, M.D.
No Appearance for Niloufer Kero, M.D., Niloufer Kero, M.D., P.A., F.A.C.O.G., etc.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Appellant, Kalani K. Burbank ["Burbank"], appeals a summary final judgment in a medical malpractice case based on the expiration of the statute of limitations as to her claim against Luciano Sztulman, M.D. ["Dr. Sztulman"]. We conclude that the statute of limitations had not expired as of the date suit was filed against Dr. Sztul-man, and, accordingly, we reverse.
Here is the basic chronology:
4-5-1994 Burbank comes under the care of Niloufer Kero, M.D. ["Dr. Kero"], d/b/a Suncoast Obstetrics and Gynecology, P.A. ["Suncoast"]
10-19-94 Burbank arrives at Oak Hill Hospital ["Oak Hill"] at 3:30 a.m. with severe back pain. She was told that Dr. Sztulman, an employee of Sun-coast, would come into see her but he does not. She develops paralysis.
11-19-94 Burbank is discharged from Tampa General. After speaking to Dr. Towsley, it comes to her "like a ton of bricks that something happened, something was wrong, and there was a ball dropped somewhere."
8-95 Burbank hires counsel.
12-22-95 Burbank's counsel requests Burbank's medical records from Oak Hill and Dr. Kero.
1-18-95 Burbank's counsel again writes requesting Burbank's medical records.
9-26-96 A telephone conversation with Dr. Kero's office confirms not all records were sent.
10-1-96 Burbank's petition for extension of the statute of limitations is filed.
10-17-96 Burbank's counsel again asks Dr. Kero for Burbank's medical records.
1-12-97 Service of notices of intent to initiate litigation against Dr. Kero, Suncoast, and Oak Hill.
3-25-97 The claims representative for Oak Hill sends Burbank's counsel 41 pages of previously undisclosed documents including two that indicate that Dr. Sztulman was involved in Burbank's case. .
3-31-97 Service of notice of intent to initiate litigation against Dr. Sztul-man.
4-7-97 Receipt of notice of intent by Dr. Sztulman.
6-5-97 Suit filed against Oak Hill.
6-30-97 Amended complaint filed adding Dr. Kero, Suncoast, and Dr. Sztul-man.
If the statute of limitations began to run on November 19, 1994, the claim would have been barred had it been filed after November 20, 1996 in the absence of any extension or tolling. On September 23, 1996, the plaintiff petitioned the Clerk of Circuit Court for the additional ninety-day extension. As noted by the court in Hankey v. Yarian, 755 So.2d 93 (Fla.2000), the ninety-day period is tacked onto the end of the statute of limitations. With the ninety-day extension authorized by Florida Statute section 766.104(2), the statute of limitations, in the absence of the other tolling provisions, would have run on February 18, 1997. The notice of intent to initiate litigation was sent to Dr. Kero, Suncoast Obstetrics and Gynecology, P.A. and Oak Hill on January 12, 1997. Those notices were received on January 18, 1997. The statute of limitations was then tolled ninety days from the date that the defendant received the notice of intent. See Boyd v. Becker, 627 So.2d 481, 483-484 (Fla.1993). Applying the holding of Han-key and the plain language of section 766.106(4), Florida Statutes, the statute of limitations clock stopped running as to "all potential defendants" for ninety days, or until April 13,1997.
During the ninety-day period in which the statute of limitations was tolled, Burbank's trial counsel, for the first time, received the records which indicated that Dr. Sztulman had in fact been an attending physician. Notice of intent to initiate litigation was mailed to Dr. Sztulman on March 31, 1997 and received by him on April 7, 1997. At that time, there was still time remaining on the statute of limitations. Because of the tolling effect of the notice of intent, the statute of limitations, as to Sztulman, did not expire until July 6, 1997. On June 9, 1997, Dr. Sztulman's liability insurer denied the claim. Suit was filed against Sztulman on June 30, 1997, before the action was time barred. Thus, the summary final judgment was erroneous as a matter of law.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
PLEUS and PALMER, JJ., concur,
GRIFFIN, J., concurs and concurs specially, with opinion.