Case Name: Annette YOUNGENTOB and Joel Youngentob, Appellants, v. ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1987-11-12
Citations: 519 So. 2d 636
Docket Number: No. 4-86-3116
Parties: Annette YOUNGENTOB and Joel Youngentob, Appellants, v. ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellee.
Judges: OWEN, WILLIAM C., JR., Associate Judge (Retired), concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 519
Pages: 636–637

Head Matter:
Annette YOUNGENTOB and Joel Youngentob, Appellants, v. ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellee.
No. 4-86-3116.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Nov. 12, 1987.
On Petition for Rehearing Feb. 24, 1988.
Corey R. Stutin of Steinberg & Stutin, P.A., Orlando, for appellants.
John R. Hargrove of Tew, Jorden & Schulte, Fort Lauderdale, for appellee.

Opinion:
LETTS, Judge.
An injured car driver appeals, claiming that it was error to give a seat belt instruction. We agree and reverse.
The seminal case about seat belt defenses is Insurance Company of North America v. Pasakamis, 451 So.2d 447, 454 (Fla. 1984), which unequivocally places the burden of proof on the defense to establish not only that a car is equipped with seat belts, but that they are "operational." In the case at bar, there is absolutely no evidence as to the operability of the belts other than the fact that the automobile was in good condition. Undoubtedly that is so, but we are of the opinion that an essential element of proof to support the Pasakamis requirement that the seat belts are operational, is absent. As a consequence, it was reversible error to give such an instruction.
In so holding, we do not believe our conclusion conflicts with American Automobile Association v. Tehrani, 508 So.2d 365 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987) because in that case there was at least some evidence of operability in that the belts "clicked."
REVERSED AND REMANDED FOR A NEW TRIAL.
OWEN, WILLIAM C., JR., Associate Judge (Retired), concurs.
ANSTEAD, J., concurs specially with opinion.