CLEARWATER – An insurance company is seeking subrogation for damagesfrom a fire allegedly caused by a kitchen range that wasn’t turned off.
Olympus Insurance Co., as subrogee of Somerset Properties LLC, filed acomplaint on May 23, in the 6th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida -
PinellasCounty against Jedidiah Anders Hoefer alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on April 17,2015,
Hoefer entered the insured property to perform inspection and allegedlyfailed to turn off the kitchen range at the conclusion of his inspection.
As aresult, a fire broke out on April 22, 2015, and Somerset Properties LLC wasobligated to pay a $2,500 deductible.
The plaintiff seeks payment for full damage incurred, award interest,costs, and all other sums recoverable by law.
It is represented by MatthewBrown of Brown Law Firm PL in Lake Mary.
6th JudicialCircuit Court of Florida - Pinellas County case number 17-003180-CI
This is a good example of the sort of outcome of a silly mis-step and why following the same routine is key.
Turn on, look for gas light, check electric heat with IR thermometer, photograph, turn-off.
There is a reason why I don’t check appliances. Dishwashers or washing machines that leak, stoves that burn etc. If sellers state in APS that appliances will be in working order on closing and buyers still want to check them they can turn them “ON” themselves or with the help of the agent who has nothing to do during the inspection. I remember funny case about ten years ago. During the inspection both agents were present and seemed to be really bored since Facebook was not so popular back then. 
So one of them asked me what can he do to help. I said you can check appliances if you want. He turned the dishwasher “ON”. In about 5 minutes both agents were really busy collecting water everywhere around that dishwasher.