Bill Text: FL S0018 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relief/Laura D. Strazza/DOACS
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Committee on The Special Master on Claim Bills [S0018 Detail]
Download: Florida-2010-S0018-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2010 (NP) SB 18 By Senator Aronberg 27-00083-10 201018__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act for the relief of Laura D. Strazza; providing 3 an appropriation to compensate her for injuries she 4 sustained as a result of the negligence of an employee 5 of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 6 Services; providing a limitation on the payment of 7 fees and costs; providing an effective date. 8 9 WHEREAS, on April 25, 1996, Laura D. Strazza was riding as 10 a passenger in a motor vehicle on U.S. 1 in Juno Beach, Palm 11 Beach County, and 12 WHEREAS, an employee of the Department of Agriculture and 13 Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, was operating, on and 14 next to that highway, a large transport truck that collided with 15 the motor vehicle in which Laura D. Strazza was a passenger, and 16 WHEREAS, as a consequence of this motor vehicle crash, 17 Laura D. Strazza sustained multiple grievous injuries such that 18 she has been unable to work, has undergone surgical procedures, 19 and needs to undergo future surgical procedures, and 20 WHEREAS, a legal action was brought by Laura Strazza, a 21 single woman, against the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 22 Services, and 23 WHEREAS, on July 13, 1999, a jury rendered a verdict in 24 favor of Laura D. Strazza, finding that the Department of 25 Agriculture and Consumer Services was partly negligent in 26 causing a motor vehicle crash between the vehicle in which Ms. 27 Strazza was riding as a passenger and the department’s transport 28 truck, and 29 WHEREAS, the jury rendered damages in the amount of 30 $1,464,000, and, after reduction for collateral sources and 31 comparative negligence of the driver of the vehicle in which Ms. 32 Strazza was riding, a Final Judgment in the amount of $944,829 33 and a Cost Judgment in the amount of $32,490.62, both bearing 34 interest at the statutory rate of 10 percent per year, were 35 entered against the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 36 Services, and 37 WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 38 Services has paid Laura Strazza $100,000, the maximum amount 39 allowable under s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the remainder 40 owed under the judgment will be $877,319.62, plus $5,002.60 in 41 additional costs, for a total amount of $882,322.22, NOW, 42 THEREFORE, 43 44 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 45 46 Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act are 47 found and declared to be true. 48 Section 2. The sum of $882,322.22 is appropriated from the 49 General Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture and 50 Consumer Services for the relief of Laura Strazza for injuries 51 and damages sustained. 52 Section 3. The Chief Financial Officer is directed to draw 53 a warrant in favor of Laura Strazza in the amount of $882,322.22 54 upon funds of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 55 Services in the State Treasury, and the Chief Financial Officer 56 is directed to pay the same out of such funds in the State 57 Treasury. 58 Section 4. The amount paid by the Department of Agriculture 59 and Consumer Services pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, 60 and the amount paid pursuant to this act are intended to provide 61 the sole compensation for all present and future claims arising 62 out of the factual situation described in this act which 63 resulted in injuries to Laura D. Strazza. The total amount paid 64 for attorney’s fees, lobbying fees, costs, and other similar 65 expenses relating to this claim may not exceed 25 percent of the 66 amount awarded under this act. 67 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law
