Opinion ID: 60339
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Florida Wrongful Death Claim

Text: Florida law requires that before filing any claim for personal injury or 11 wrongful death arising from medical malpractice, the claimant conduct an investigation of the claim and send the defendant(s) a notice of intent to sue, along with a corroborating opinion by a medical expert. Fla. Stat. § 766.203(2) (2005). Attorneys must file with the claim a certificate of counsel, verifying that they have conducted a reasonable investigation and that there is a basis for a good faith belief that medical negligence occurred. Fla. Stat. § 766.104 (2005). The Florida Supreme Court has made clear that these requirements are prerequisites to suit, but not jurisdictional. Kukral v. Mekras, 679. So. 2d 278, 283 (Fla. 1996). Therefore, while Florida law mandates the dismissal of a claim that was filed before these prerequisites were met, Fla. Stat. § 766.206(2) (2005), the claimant may cure the default and proceed with the suit as along as the pre-suit requirements are fulfilled within the applicable statute of limitations. Kukral, 679 So. 2d at 283. We review the grant of a motion to dismiss de novo, accepting the factual allegations in the complaint as true. Doe, 344 F.3d at 1284. Here, in dismissing the negligence count of Johnson’s second amended complaint, the district court held that the statute of limitations had already expired. Thus, Johnson could not cure her failure to comply with Florida’s pre-suit requirements. The district court entered a dismissal without leave to amend and with prejudice. Florida law mandates the dismissal of a claim for medical malpractice when 12 the pre-suit requirements have not been fulfilled. Fla. Stat. § 766.206(2) (2005). Therefore, we affirm the district court’s dismissal of Johnson’s state law claim.3