Florida Senate - 2009 (Reformatted) SB 28
By Senator Aronberg
27-00125-09 200928__
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 D. Strazza for
51 injuries and damages sustained.
52 Section 3. The Chief Financial Officer is directed to draw
53 a warrant in favor of Laura D. Strazza in the amount of
54 $882,322.22 upon funds of the Department of Agriculture and
55 Consumer Services in the State Treasury, and the Chief Financial
56 Officer is directed to pay the same out of such funds in the
57 State Treasury.
58 Section 4. This award is intended to provide the sole
59 compensation for all present and future claims arising out of
60 the factual situation described in this act which resulted in
61 injuries to Laura D. Strazza. The total amount paid for
62 attorney's fees, lobbying fees, costs, and other similar
63 expenses relating to this claim may not exceed 25 percent of the
64 amount awarded under this act.
65 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.