Suzzette Ottey v. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledMarch 4, 2020
Docket3D18-2537
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
Third District Court of Appeal
State of Florida
Opinion filed March 4, 2020.
Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.
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No. 3D18-2537
Lower Tribunal No. 14-4310
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Suzzette Ottey,
Appellant,
vs.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation,
Appellee.
An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Reemberto Diaz,
Judge.
Giasi Law, P.A., and Melissa A. Giasi (Tampa), for appellant.
Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton, P.A., and Jessica C. Conner (Orlando), for
appellee.
Before LOGUE, HENDON and GORDO, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Suzzette Ottey appeals an order granting summary judgment in favor of her
insurer, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Ottey argues that Citizens failed
to meet its burden of proving that the damage to her property was excluded from
coverage under her insurance policy and that there are triable issues of fact regarding
the cause of damage to the property. We agree that issues of material fact preclude
summary judgment and reverse the order granting final summary judgment.
โOur standard of review of an order granting summary judgment is de novo.โ
White v. Ferco Motors Corp., 260 So. 3d 388, 390 (Fla. 3d DCA 2018). โWe review
the record to determine whether there are genuine issues of material fact that
preclude summary judgment.โ Id. (citing Collections, USA, Inc. v. City of
Homestead, 816 So. 2d 1225, 1227 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002)). A careful review of the
appellate record reveals genuine issues of material fact as to: (1) whether Otteyโs
property sustained physical damage consistent with the reported loss; and (2) what
caused that damage, if any. Otteyโs deposition testimony regarding these issues is
sufficient evidence to raise an issue of fact precluding summary judgment. Thus,
we reverse the entry of summary judgment for Citizens and remand for further
proceedings.
Reversed and remanded.
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