Manheim Auctions Government Services, Inc. v. Mejia
Manheim Auctions Government Services, Inc. v. Mejia
Opinion of the Court
Manheim Auctions Government Services, Inc. and Florida Auto Auctions of Orlando, Inc., [collectively, Manheim] had a contract with the United States government [GSA] to auction government vehicles. On the occasion we are dealing with here, GSA requested Manheim to relocate a non-auction government vehicle from one government location at Cape Canaveral to another government location in the Keys. Manheim arranged for David’s Used Cars, an independent contractor, to relocate the government-owned container truck. David’s Used Cars then arranged for Daniel Wayne Webb to do the actual driving.
Edwin Mejia was driving on 1-95 with his wife and his daughter, Nelly, when he slowed to approach a slow-moving or stopped car
Prior to trial, the court granted Mejia’s motion for summary judgment and ruled that Manheim was the bailee of the GSA vehicle, and thus was vicariously liable for Webb’s negligence.
The jury found against Manheim and awarded Mejia $1 million in non-economic damages over his projected 40-year life expectancy.
As the record reflects, Manheim arranged for David’s Used Cars to pick up the vehicle, and David’s Used Cars arranged for Webb to drive it. Manheim was, at the very least, in constructive possession of the vehicle for bailment purposes. We thus affirm the trial court’s pre-trial summary .ruling that Manheim was a bailee and thus liable as a matter of law for Webb’s negligence.
We have reviewed the record and find no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s thoroughly considered order granting an additur for the plaintiffs’ non-economic damages pursuant to section 768.043, Florida Statutes (2003). We thus affirm the additur order. We also affirm the trial court’s decision to set a new trial for the determination of non-economic damages suffered by the Plaintiffs because Manheim rejected the additur, see ITT Hartford, Ins. Co. of the Southeast v. Owens, 816 So.2d 572 (Fla. 2002); Brant v. Dollar Rent A Car Sys., Inc., 869 So.2d 767 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004), and we remand accordingly.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.
. Driven by Carloe Levy Johnson, who was found by the jury to be negligent and had attributed to her 10% of Edwin Mejia’s injuries.
. The plaintiffs settled with David's Used Cars prior to trial.
. The jury attributed 90% of the cause of Edwin Mejia's damages to Webb.
. The jury awarded Edwin Mejia $21 million in future medical expenses (present value).
. We affirm the trial court's directed verdict finding Webb negligent as a matter of law.
. See Sunshine Dodge, Inc. v. Ketchem, 445 So.2d 395 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984) as to the conduit from owner to negligent driver.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.