11th Circuit Court Grants State Farm’s Request to Depose Imaging Center Owner

December 5, 2013

Petitioner State Farm sought to depose Respondent YH Imaging’s owner, Yamir Hernandez, as well as other individuals who allegedly performed portable x-rays in this case.  Respondent YH sought to have State Farm’s motion for discovery dismissed.

State Farm made their Motion for Discovery pursuant to Florida’s PIP Statute.  That statute provides, in  relevant part, that in “the event of a dispute regarding an insurer’s right to discovery of facts under this section, the insurer may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to enter an order permitting such discovery. The order may be made only on motion for good cause shown  . . . .”  §627.736(6)(c) Fla. Stat. (2013) (emphasis added).

In this case, the Court concluded that State Farm had established, through its motion and supporting affidavit, the necessary good cause to bring the discovery action.  The Court cited favorably two cases  holding that PIP insurers should be able to obtain informal discovery upon simple request and that court-ordered discovery is available upon a showing of good cause.  See Kaminester v. State Farm, 775 So. 2d 981 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000); State Farm v. Goldstein, 798 So. 2d 807 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001).  The Court also found persuasive orders granting similar actions for discovery entered by other judges in the 11th Judicial Circuit.

The Court granted petitioner’s Motion for Discovery and denied Respondent’s Motion to Dismiss.  State Farm was thereby granted leave to conduct the depositions at issue.

The case is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, et al. v. YH Imaging, Inc., In Re OM, MM, et al., Circuit Court, 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County. Case No. 11 28263 CA 05 (24).  December, 3, 2013. Click on the link to read the court order.