Cases & Published Decisions

Prior to forming their new law firm, Joe Janssen and John Siracusa were instrumental in obtaining multi-million dollar verdicts for their clients in the cases styled Chalfonte Condominium Apartment Association, Inc. v. QBE Insurance Corporation, Buckley Towers Condominium Association, Inc. v. QBE Insurance Corporation and Dome Condominium Association, Inc. v. QBE Insurance Corporation.

These lawyers have settled numerous cases for their clients in excess of $1MM, and have successfully handled multi-million dollar disputes in Florida’s District Courts of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sunrise at Seaside Condominium Association, Inc. v. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Appraisal Award – RCV $3,578,676.00 / ACV $3,300,000.00

Key West Beach Club Condominium Association No. 1, Inc. and Key West Beach Club Condominium Association No. 2, Inc. v. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Appraisal Award – KWBC No. 1 – RCV $554,274.23 / ACV $554,274.23
KWBC No. 2 – RCV $3,508,045.15 / ACV $3,042,060.80

Rosewood Condominium Homeowners Association, Inc. v. American Coastal Insurance Company
Appraisal Award – RCV $965,956.75 / ACV $655,006.16

Pear Tree Properties, LLC v. Acuity, a Mutual Insurance Company
Appraisal Award – RCV $891.238.38 / ACV $833,146.03

The Porto Venezia Condominium Association, Inc. v. WB Fort Lauderdale, LLC
Total Settlement – $1.200,000.00

John Siracusa / Federal Cases

Joseph Janssen / Federal Cases

Our Lawyers’ Notable Published and Reported State and Federal Decisions

Cohn v. Grand Condominium Ass’n, 62 So.3d 1120 (Fla. 2011)(statute requiring majority of residential directors on board for mixed commercial/ residential use condominium was unconstitutional impairment of contract right as applied to condominium’s governing documents)

Fla. Ins. Guaranty Ass’n v. Devon Neighborhood Ass’n, 67 So.3d 187 (Fla. 2011)(decision analyzing Constitutional impairment of FIGA’s contract right for appraisal versus statutory penalty voiding pre-suit appraisal requirement for notice failure)

El-Ad Enclave of Miramar Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. Mt. Hawley Ins. Co., 2011 WL 1466326 (S.D.Fla. 2011)(dispersing attorney’s fees over charging lien)

Trianon Condominium Apartments Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2011 WL 971466 (S.D.Fla.)(striking prior law firm’s charing lien)

Great American Ins. Co., of New York v. Admirals Walk, Inc., 2011 WL 971466 (S.D.Fla.)(order staying insurer’s federal declaratory judgment action on coverage in favor of parallel State Court breach of contract action filed by insured)

Buckley Towers Condominium Association, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2011 WL 710699 (S.D.Fla.)(awarding costs judgment to insurer)

Trianon Condominium Apartments Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2011 WL 664319 (S.D.Fla)(striking charging lien)

El-Ad Enclave at Miramar Condominium Association, Ins. Co. v. Mt.Hawley Ins. Co., 752 F.Supp.2d 1282 (S.D.Fla. 2010)(analyzing surplus lines insurer’s separate windstorm deductible under Florida law)

El-Ad Residences at Miramar Condominium Association, Inc. v. Mt. Hawley Ins. Co., 2010 WL 4672444 (S.D.Fla.)(denying motion for reconsideration of adverse discovery order)

El-Ad Residences at Miramar Condominium Association, Inc., 2010 WL 417411 (S.D.Fla.)(Order awarding insured fees for its motion to compel insurer to pay for expert’s fee for deposition)

Trianon Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 741 F.Supp.2d 1327 (S.D.Fla. 2010)(discussing warranty of good faith and fair dealing in insurance contracts and declaratory judgment claims)

Buckley Towers Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 395 Fed.Appx 659 (11th Cir. 2010)(analyzing Florida’s prevention of performance doctrine as applied to replacement cost policy and affirming jury’s actual cash value award in excess of $11 million)

Trianon Condominium Apartments Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Co., 2010 WL 3446885 (S.D.Fla.)(denying former attorney’s motion for protective order with regard to deposition)

Grosscup v. Pantano, et al., 725 F.Supp.2d 1370 (S.D.Fla. 2010)(denying United States’ Motion to dismiss property owner’s mandamus action and discussing Army Corps of Engineer’s extraordinary delay in processing application as grounds for regulatory taking action)

El Dorado Towers Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 717 F.Supp.2d 1311 (S.D.Fla. 2010)(denying insurer’s motion for summary judgment and discussing policy’s post-loss conditions)

Cohn v. Grand Condominium Ass’n, 26 So.3d 8 (Fla. 3d DCA 2009)(statute requiring majority of residential directors on board for mixed commercial/ residential use condominium was unconstitutional impairment of contract right as applied to condominium’s governing documents)

Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 2009 WL 5103606 (S.D.Fla.)(denying insurer’s Daubert motion)

Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 674 F.Supp.2d 1328 (S.D.Fla.2009)(Order permitting insured to sue excess carrier before primary policy limits were exhausted)

 Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 674 F.Supp.2d 1333 (S.D.Fla.2009)(denying insurer’s motion for summary judgment, discussing timely notice and analyzing replacement cost provision)

 Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 674 F.Supp.2d 1321 (S.D.Fla.2009)(denying insurer’s motion to exclude its former independent adjuster from testifying as expert for insured)

QBE Ins. Corp. v. Dome Condominium Ass’n, Inc., 2009WL 3241250 (S.D.Fla.)(Order denying insurer’s motion to compel appraisal)

Portofino South Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 664 F.Supp.2d 1265 (S.D.Fla. 2009(discussing insured’s claim for breach of implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing)

 El-Ad Residence at Miramar Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. Mt. Hawley Ins. Co., 2009 WL 3019786 (S.D.Fla.)(discussing insured’s claim against insurer for breach of implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing)

Coconut Key Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Lexington Ins. Co., 649 F.Supp.2d 1363 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(order denying summary judgment and discussing differences between conditions precedent and cooperation clauses in insurance coverage disputes)

Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 2009 WL 274638 (S.D.Fla.)(denying insurer’s motion to strike trial experts)

Regency of Palm Beach, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2009 WL 2799954 (S.D.Fla.) (discussing insured’s claim for breach of implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing against insurer)

Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 2009 WL 2477519 (S.D.Fla.)(discussing discoverability of insurer’s claims files prior to denial)

Regency of Palm Beach, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2009 WL 2513411 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(overruling insurer’s work-product objections to the production of its adjuster’s claims file)

Vision I Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Insurance Co., 2009 WL 2477524 (S.D.Fla.)(overruling insurer’s work-product objections to the production of its adjuster’s claims file)

Vision I Homeowners Association, Inc. v. Aspen Specialty Ins. Co., 643 F.Supp.2d 1356 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(order discussing surplus lines exemptions from parts of Florida’s Insurance Code)

Regency of Palm Beach, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 259 F.R.D. 645 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(discussing work product doctrine and overruling managing agent’s objections to discovery)

Page v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2009 WL 1025716 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(finding unit owner’s bad faith claim was premature and dismissing claim without prejudice)

Leitstein v. QBE Ins. Corp., 609 F.Supp.2d 1311 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(finding unit owner’s bad faith claim was premature and dismissing claim without prejudice)

Sands on the Ocean Condominium Association, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2009 WL 790120 (S.D.Fla. 2009)(discussing $1.2 million appraisal award)

Chalfonte Condominium Apartment Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 561 F.3d 1267 (11th Cir. 2009)(on appeal of $8 million judgment against insurer, 11th Cir. certified questions to Florida Supreme Court concerning claim for implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing, application of separate hurricane deductible; and whether policy language requires payment within 30 days of entry of final judgment regardless of appeal)

Nirvana Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 589 F.Supp.2d 1336 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(Judge Graham discussing insured’s claim against insurer for implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing)

Isola Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2008 WL 5169458 (S.D.Fla.)(same)

Buckley Towers Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2008 WL 5505415 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(order granting insured’s motions in limine concerning experts’ bankruptcy and partnership dissolution)

QBE Ins. Corp. v. Dome Condominium Ass’n, Inc., 577 F.Supp.2d 1256 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(insured had right to bring counterclaims against insurer in response to insurer’s petition to compel appraisal)

Old Port Cove Holdings, Inv. v. Old Port Cove Condominium Ass’n, Inc., 986 So.2d 1279 (Fla. 2007)(Finding that statute abrogating common law rule against perpetuities did not apply retroactively, but as matter of first impression that common law rule did not apply to rights of first refusal)

Pinder v. Moscetti, 666 F.Supp.2d 1313 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(finding Bahamas was appropriate forum for maritime wrongful death action involving collision between Florida vessel and Bahamian vessel in Bahamian territorial waters)

Buckley Towers Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2008 WL 264580 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(Analyzing scope of discovery in insured’s action against insurer for breach of contract)

Buckley Towers v. QBE Ins. Corp.,  2008 WL 2490450 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(order discussing insurer’s claim against insurer for breach of implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing)

Mizner Tower Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 530 F.Supp.2d 1304 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(discussing insured’s entitlement to attorneys fees for prevailing on declaratory judgment action)

Townhouses of Highland Beach Condominium Association, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Corp., 2008 WL 7513877 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(compelling insurer’s expert’s deposition)

Chalfonte Condominium Apartment Ass’n, Inc., 526 F.Supp.2d 1251 (S.D.Fla. 2008)(order denying insurer’s post-trial motions following $8.1 million verdict)

Chalfonte Condominium Apartment Ass’n, Inc., 2007 WL 2225972 (S.D.Fla. 2007)(order denying insurer’s motion for summary judgment on insurer’s claim for breech of good faith and fair dealing)

Quadomain Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v QBE Ins. Corp.,  2007 WL 1424596 (S.D.Fla. 2007)(order finding implied warranty of good faith and fair dealing existed in insurance contract)

Old Port Cove Condominium Ass’n One Inv. v. Old Port Cove Holdings, Inc., 954 So.2d 742 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007)(option that gave condominium association right of first refusal was no an unreasonable restrain on alienation)

Fielder v. Weinstein Design Group, Inc., 842 So.2d 879 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)(prevailing party attorneys fees could be awarded to both parties on same breach of contract action)

Rockey v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., 2001 WL 420993 (S.D.Fla. 2001)(discussing general maritime negligence action, res ipsa loquitur and passenger claim for breach of passenger ticket)