Opinion ID: 428630
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: This is a concurrent causation case.

Text: 17 The jury found that the defect or negligence of defendants [was] a concurring cause of McLeod's injury. McLeod's evidence was sufficient to show that AMC's negligent act occurred at or about the same time the negligence of the other driver had its effect, and that AMC's negligent act substantially contributed to producing McLeod's injuries. In fact, McLeod's experts testified that the seat might well have broken loose and forced her into the steering column before the moment of impact. AMC's experts were unable to rule out this theory. The trial court thus properly instructed the jury on concurrent causation. See De La Concha v. Pinero, 104 So.2d 25, 28 (Fla.1958); Little v. Miller, 311 So.2d 116, 118 (Fla.App.1975). Therefore, we must determine whether Florida courts, in concurrent causation cases, place on the defendant the burden to apportion damages. If so, the jury verdict must stand because AMC made no attempt to apportion damages. If not, i.e., if McLeod had the burden to separate the damages she suffered as a result of the seat track failure from those she suffered as a result of the primary collision, then AMC might well have prevailed. 18 The Florida state courts have not squarely addressed this issue. However, the Fifth Circuit applied Florida law in a case which is closely analogous to the one before this court. In Smith v. Fiat-Roosevelt Motors, Inc., 556 F.2d 728 (5th Cir.1977), plaintiff's car was rear-ended while stopped at an intersection. At the moment of impact, the driver's seat-back broke, causing him to sustain back injury. Plaintiff's physician, in deposition testimony, admitted that he could not apportion plaintiff's injuries between those caused by the impact of the rear-ending collision and those caused by the seat's failure. The district court granted defendant's motion for summary judgment on the ground that plaintiff could not apportion damages. In reversing, the Fifth Circuit reasoned as follows: 19 As for the physician's inability to apportion plaintiff's claimed injury between clauses [sic], it suffices to say that under Florida substantive law such a failure by a plaintiff does not ordinarily result in defendants' judgments. In Florida, where an injury is indivisible and apportionment is impossible, plaintiff may recover his entire damages from either tortfeasor. De La Concha v. Pinero, 104 So.2d 25 (Fla.1958); Washewich v. LaFave, 248 So.2d 670 (Fla.App.1971) (plaintiff thrown from car in collision and then run over by defendant; duty on plaintiff to segregate damages by cause, but if impossible to do so damages for entire injury recoverable from defendants). Defendant's judgment on this ground may not be sustained. 20 Id. at 729-30 (footnote omitted). As a practical matter, plaintiff's failure to produce any evidence that her injuries are indivisible (as is the case here) places the defendant in the same position as it would have been in had plaintiff produced evidence that her injuries could not be apportioned (as was the case in Smith ). In either case, Florida law provides that plaintiff may recover her entire damages from either tortfeasor. 21 Moreover, Florida appellate courts consistently place on the defendant the risk of nonpersuasion on the issue of apportionment. The Florida Supreme Court long ago noted, The rule is well settled that if two or more wrongdoers negligently contribute to the personal injury of another by [their] several acts, which operate concurrently, so that in effect the damages suffered are rendered inseparable, they are jointly and severally liable. Feinstone v. Allison Hospital, 106 Fla. 302, 143 So. 251, 252 (1932), quoted in Randle-Eastern Ambulance Service, Inc. v. Millens, 294 So.2d 38, 39 (Fla.App.1974) (emphasis in original). The Fifth Circuit's decision in Smith is therefore consistent with Florida precedent. 22 AMC's theory at trial was that the negligence of the second driver proximately caused 100% of McLeod's injuries. Thus, AMC produced no evidence that McLeod's injuries were divisible. Since AMC bore the burden to prove apportionment, we hold that the trial court correctly took from the jury the apportionment issue. 4