Lease Requirements

"No person other than a dentist licensed pursuant to this chapter, nor any entity other than a professional corporation or limited liability company composed of dentists, may control the use of any dental equipment or material while such equipment or material is being used for the provision of dental services, whether those services are provided by a dentist, a dental hygienist, or a dental assistant. (West's F.S.A. § 466.0285)

The lessor, under an agreement to lease a motor vehicle for 1 year or longer which requires the lessee to obtain insurance acceptable to the lessor which contains limits not less than $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury liability and $50,000 property damage liability or not less than $500,000 combined property damage liability and bodily injury liability, shall not be deemed the owner of said motor vehicle for the purpose of determining financial responsibility for the operation of said motor vehicle or for the acts of the operator. The lessor, under an agreement to rent or lease a motor vehicle for a period of less than 1 year, shall be deemed the owner of the motor vehicle for the purpose of determining liability for the operation of the vehicle or the acts of the operator in connection therewith only up to $100,000 per person and up to $300,000 per incident for bodily injury and up to $50,000 for property damage. (West's F.S.A. § 324.021)"

The dangerous instrumentality doctrine imposes vicarious liability on an owner of a motor vehicle who authorizes or permits that vehicle to be used by another individual whose negligent operation causes damage to another. Walker v. GEICO Indemnity Company, 295 So.3d 829 (Fla. 4th DCA 2020); Southern Cotton Oil Co. v. Anderson, 86 So. 629 (1920).

Depending on the nature of the equipment or lease at issue, the parties, or lessors may be limited with the what they can do with the equipment, for example, the situation involving dentists as discussed above.