Opinion ID: 1832520
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: identifiable property interest

Text: In determining who is vicariously liability under the dangerous instrumentality doctrine, this Court repeatedly has required that the person held vicariously liable have an identifiable property interest in the vehicle, such as ownership, bailment, rental, or lease of a vehicle. See, e.g., Kraemer, 572 So.2d at 1364-67. The most common application of the dangerous instrumentality doctrine is where the legal title holder is held vicariously liable for the negligent operation of a motor vehicle. See Kraemer, 572 So.2d at 1363-67; Metzel v. Robinson, 102 So.2d 385 (Fla.1958). In Southern Cotton Oil, the motor vehicle owned by the Southern Cotton Oil Corporation was being operated by an employee with the express or implied permission of the owner. 86 So. at 636. Thus, when that employee operated the motor vehicle negligently, we found Southern Cotton Oil vicariously liable under the dangerous instrumentality doctrine. See id. Thereafter, the Court extended vicarious liability to the owner of a vehicle acting as a lessor or bailor for the negligent operation of the vehicle by the lessee or bailee. See Susco Car Rental System v. Leonard, 112 So.2d 832, 835-36 (Fla.1959); Lynch v. Walker, 159 Fla. 188, 31 So.2d 268, 271 (1947), overruled in part on other grounds by Meister v. Fisher, 462 So.2d 1071 (Fla. 1984). In Lynch, the Court held that when owners authorize other individuals to use their vehicles, they are liable for the damages that the other authorized drivers negligently cause to third parties. 31 So.2d at 271. Likewise, in Susco Car Rental, the Court extended the ownerlessor's vicarious liability further to situations where the vehicle was operated by one other than the authorized lessee in violation of the terms of the lease. 112 So.2d at 835-36; see also Kraemer, 572 So.2d at 1364-67 (owner of vehicle under long-term lease liable under the dangerous instrumentality doctrine for the negligence of driver of vehicle). [2] In addition to holding owners vicariously liable, the Court has also recognized the vicarious liability of lessees and bailees of motor vehicles who authorize other individuals to operate the motor vehicles. See Frankel, 69 So.2d at 888. However, whether an entity or individual is vicariously responsible as a bailee for the negligent operation of a motor vehicle may be a fact-based inquiry. See Brown v. Goldberg, Rubenstein & Buckley, P.A., 455 So.2d 487, 488 (Fla. 2d DCA 1984). Thus, this Court's prior cases have recognized a variety of identifiable property interests that might give rise to vicarious liability under the dangerous instrumentality doctrine.