Case Name: UNIGARD INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Henrietta DAVIS and Cynthia Davis, a minor, through her next friend, Fred Davis, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1974-06-20
Citations: 299 So. 2d 667
Docket Number: Nos. U-55, U-57
Parties: UNIGARD INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Henrietta DAVIS and Cynthia Davis, a minor, through her next friend, Fred Davis, Appellees.
Judges: BOYER, Acting C. J., McCORD, J., and DREW, E. HARRIS. (Retired) Associate Judge, concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 299
Pages: 667–669

Head Matter:
UNIGARD INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellant, v. Henrietta DAVIS and Cynthia Davis, a minor, through her next friend, Fred Davis, Appellees.
Nos. U-55, U-57.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
June 20, 1974.
On Rehearing Sept. 24, 1974.
Richard L. Brown, and Charles Cook Howell, III, of Howell, Kirby, Montgomery, D’Aiuto, Dean & Hallowes, Jacksonville, for appellant.
David R. Lewis, of Blalock, Holbrook, Lewis, Paul & Isaac, Jacksonville, for ap-pellees.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Appellees were plaintiffs, in the trial court in separate actions brought by each against appellant here. The two cases have been consolidated on appeal. The actions below were for personal injury protection (PIP) benefits, statutory penalty, attorneys fees and costs under a policy of liability insurance issued pursuant to the Florida Automobile Reparations Reform Act, Sections 627.730-627.741, Florida Statutes, F.S.A. The trial court entered individual summary judgments followed by final judgments in favor of each of the ap-pellees in the amount of $5,000, plus interest, costs and attorney's fee. In addition, the trial court dismissed with prejudice appellant's counterclaims by which appellant sought, under Section 627.736(3) (a), subtraction of, reimbursement, and/or enforcement of a lien on the recovery obtained by each appellee on her claim in tort against the tort-feasor. (Each appellee had settled with the tort-feasor without suit.)
Appellant contends that the trial court erred in entering the summary judgments and in dismissing its counterclaims, but at oral argument, appellant abandoned its contention that the entry of summary judgment was error and relied only upon its contention that dismissal of the counterclaim was error. We agree that the court erred in dismissing the counterclaim.
In view of our decision in White v. Reserve Insurance Company, Fla.App., 299 So.2d 661, opinion filed May 7, 1974, the trial court is reversed and this cause is remanded for "equitable distribution" pursuant to this court's opinion there. We have considered State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins. Co. v. Mance, Fla.App., 292 So.2d 52, and respectfully disagree with the ruling there made by the District Court of Appeal, Third District.
Reversed and remanded.
BOYER, Acting C. J., McCORD, J., and DREW, E. HARRIS. (Retired) Associate Judge, concur.