Case Name: Donald V. BUTERA, Appellant, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, and Velma Elaine Newman, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1997-09-12
Citations: 698 So. 2d 1348
Docket Number: No. 96-04548
Parties: Donald V. BUTERA, Appellant, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, and Velma Elaine Newman, Appellees.
Judges: PARKER, C.J., and WHATLEY, J., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 698
Pages: 1348–1348

Head Matter:
Donald V. BUTERA, Appellant, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, and Velma Elaine Newman, Appellees.
No. 96-04548.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
Sept. 12, 1997.
Geoffrey B. Steiner of Geoffrey B. Steiner, P.A., Tampa, for appellant.
H. Shelton Philips of Kaleel & Kaleel, P.A, St. Petersburg, for appellee State Farm Fire and Casualty Company.

Opinion:
QUINCE, Judge.
Donald V. Butera challenges the trial court's order granting summary judgment in an action to declare rights under an uninsured motorist policy. We affirm the order under review because the trial court correctly found that Butera was free to accept the offer made by the third-party tortfeasor's liability carrier once State Farm denied permission to settle. We question, however, the trial court's finding that the supreme court's decision in Hassen v. State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co., 674 So.2d 106 (Fla.1996) did not overrule our opinion in State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co. v. Hassen, 650 So.2d 128 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995).
PARKER, C.J., and WHATLEY, J., concur.