Court Opinion

ID: 9903561
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-27 15:53:30.445324+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:24.376991
License: Public Domain

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
                      FIFTH DISTRICT

                                  NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO
                                  FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING AND
                                  DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED

NATIONWIDE INSURANCE
COMPANY OF AMERICA,

            Appellant,
                                       Case No. 5D21-2889
v.                                     LT Case No. 2018-36022-COCO

INTEGRITY MEDICAL GROUP,
LLC A/A/O WILLIAM ELLIOTT,

          Appellee.
________________________________/

Opinion filed February 3, 2023

Appeal from the County Court
for Volusia County,
Belle B. Schumann, Judge.

DeeAnn J. McLemore, of Banker
Lopez Gassler P.A., St. Petersburg,
for Appellant.

Douglas H. Stein, of Douglas H.
Stein, P.A., Coral Gables, for
Appellee.

PER CURIAM.
      In this personal injury protection insurance case, Integrity Medical

Group, LLC a/a/o William Elliott (“Integrity”) brought an action in small claims

court against Nationwide Insurance Company of America (“Nationwide”).

Pursuant to Florida Small Claims Rule 7.020(c), the trial court entered an

order invoking the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure (with certain exceptions

not relevant to this case). Subsequently, after a non-evidentiary hearing, the

trial court entered a final judgment in favor of Integrity.

      On appeal, Nationwide argues that the trial court erred in treating, over

objection, Integrity’s motion for summary disposition filed pursuant to Florida

Small Claims Rule 7.135 as a motion for summary judgment filed under

Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.510, and granting same. We agree.

Integrity’s motion did not comply with requirements set forth in rule 1.510 and

Nationwide was deprived of the opportunity to avail itself, as the nonmoving

party, of the procedural safeguards provided under the rule. Accordingly, we

reverse the final judgment entered in favor of Integrity and remand for further

proceedings.

      REVERSED and REMANDED.

EVANDER, MAKAR and EDWARDS JJ., concur.

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