Photo of Eric Hudson

As we’ve discussed before, Florida’s offer of judgment statute has real teeth. Under the Florida statute (Fla. Stat. § 768.79), a defendant can recover its costs and attorney’s fees if the other side rejects the offer and ultimately recovers 25% less than the amount of the offer.  The risk of paying the defendant’s attorney’s fees ought to be a meaningful deterrent to meritless claims.

In today’s decision, Jacob v. Mentor Worldwide LLP, 2025 WL 3134227 (M.D. Fla. Nov. 7, 2025) (rep. & rec.), the defendant made an offer of judgment under the Florida statute. But that didn’t deter the pro se plaintiff from pursuing her claim that a ruptured breast implant caused her to develop lupus-like symptoms.  As we blogged about here, following a lengthy and tumultuous procedural history, the defendant ultimately prevailed on summary judgment.  Prior to moving for summary judgment, the defendant made an offer of judgment of $3,500, which was the amount of its limited warranty for implant ruptures. After obtaining summary judgment, the defendant moved for its costs and attorney’s fees.    Continue Reading Chomp Chomp – Taking a Bite with Florida’s Offer of Judgment Statute

Photo of Michelle Yeary

We call a treating physician who testifies to more than just their treatment a hybrid expert. But doctors who both treat and testify can sometimes be less “Doctor Do No Harm” and more “Doctor Show Me the Money.” And when their treatment comes under a letter of protection (“LOP”), things get even murkier. Like, swampy

Photo of Stephen McConnell

Surely, you’ve heard the definition of insanity as repeating the same conduct but expecting different results. You might also have heard that Einstein said it, though that might not be right – not even relatively right. 

It is definitely not right for plaintiffs to keep filing meritless actions even after they keep receiving benchslaps.  Maybe

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We really cannot say whether chicken by any other name would smell as sweet or even as chickeny.  While we do not compare ourselves to the Bard, we can say that cultivated chicken meat cannot be sold in Florida to allow any such olfactory comparison there.  The manufacturer of just such a product challenged the

Photo of Stephen McConnell

There was a time when it seemed that half our posts were mixed bags of TwIqbal — product liability claims tested against the SCOTUS decisions in Twombly and Iqbal requiring pleadings to be substantive and plausible.  Then things settled down for a bit.  Did plaintiffs get smarter?  Did courts resume tolerance for bare bones complaints?

Photo of Michelle Yeary

Adding to the growing favorable precedent concerning state human tissue shield statutes is Heitman v. Aziyo Biologics, Inc., 2024 WL 4019318 (N.D. Fla.  Jul. 22, 2024).    

The plaintiff alleged that he was infected with tuberculosis from an unfortunately contaminated human tissue allograft that was implanted in his spine during surgery. The plaintiff alleged