15 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 278a
Insurance — Personal injury protection — Arbitration — Where parties did not request trial de novo within 20 days of service of arbitrator’s decision, court is required to enter judgment in accord with decision
MARK LODGE, Plaintiff, vs. UNITED AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant. County Court, 17th Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County. Case No. 05-18384 COCE (53). January 3, 2008. Robert W. Lee, Judge. Counsel: Jared Bossola, Fort Lauderdale, for Plaintiff. Deirdre Buchanan, Coral Gables, for Defendant.
FINAL JUDGMENT ON ARBITRATOR’S DECISION IN FAVOR OF PLAINTIFF
THIS CAUSE came before the Court for consideration of the notice of filing Arbitration Award filed by the Arbitrator Michael G. Ahearn, and the Court’s having reviewed the docket, the entire Court file, and the relevant legal authorities; and having been sufficiently advised in the premises, the Court finds as follows:
This case was submitted to mandatory arbitration. The arbitrator served his decision by U.S. mail on November 15, 2007. Under Rule 1.820(h), Fla. R. Crim. P., a motion for trial de novo must be “made” within 20 days of the “service” of the arbitrator’s decision. Under Florida law, “a party has the right to move for a trial within twenty days after service of the arbitrator’s decision. If no motion for trial is timely served, then the trial court must enforce the decision of the arbitrator and has no discretion to do otherwise” (emphasis added). Bacon Family Partners, L.P. v. Apollo Condominium Ass’n, 852 So.2d 882, 888 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003). See also Johnson v. Levine, 736 So.2d 1235, 1238 n.3 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999); Klein v. J.L. Howard, Inc., 600 So.2d 511, 512 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992). The Arbitration Decision reflects that the arbitrator appropriately considered the parties’ arguments, as well as their submitted affidavits and live testimony. Rule 1.820(c). The Court lacks discretion to deny entry of a judgment in accordance with the arbitrator’s decision when the parties fail to timely request a trial de novo or otherwise fail to dispose of the case of record within the de novo deadline.
Including the five-day mailing period, the parties’ request for trial de novo was required to be filed no later than December 10, 2007. No party did so. As a result, the Court is required to enter judgment in accordance with the Arbitrator’s decision. See Gossett & Gossett, P.A. v. Fleming, 10 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 839 (Broward Cty. Ct. 2003).
At a hearing held on January 3, 2008 in this matter, the Defendant reminded the Court that the matter had been referred to arbitration. Accordingly, the Court has this day unsealed the Arbitrator’s decision. The Arbitrator awarded the Plaintiff all amounts billed for chiropractic treatment up until the IME cutoff, as well as the MRI, at the 80% statutory rate. As a result, it is hereby
ADJUDGED THAT:
The Plaintiff shall recover from the Defendant, UNITED AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, the sum of $3,476.00, which such sum shall hereafter bear interest at the rate of 11% per annum, for which sums let execution issue. The Plaintiff is also entitled to an award of attorney’s fees and costs, and the Court reserves jurisdiction to determine the amount of fees and costs.
