Senate Bill 0060e1

    SB 60                                          First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to Dade County; providing for

  3         the relief of Jeanette Alonso, a minor, for

  4         injuries sustained as a result of the conduct

  5         of the Public Health Trust of Dade County,

  6         d.b.a. Jackson Memorial Hospital; providing for

  7         payment by the Public Health Trust of Dade

  8         County, d.b.a. Jackson Memorial Hospital;

  9         specifying use of the funds; providing an

10         effective date.

11

12         WHEREAS, on September 13, 1990, two-week-old Jeanette

13  Alonso was taken by her mother to Jackson Memorial Hospital

14  for care and treatment of an infection, and

15         WHEREAS, Jeanette Alonso was admitted with a diagnosis

16  of "rule out sepsis," and

17         WHEREAS, Jeanette Alonso, while a patient in Jackson

18  Memorial Hospital, suffered from documented hyponatremia or

19  low blood-sodium levels for prolonged periods of time and from

20  uncontrolled and untreated seizures, and

21         WHEREAS, Jeanette Alonso has suffered irreversible

22  brain damage, including partial brain death and cortical

23  blindness, and requires constant care and supervision, and

24         WHEREAS, on November 20, 1992, a complaint was filed on

25  behalf of Jeanette Alonso in Circuit Court for Dade County,

26  Case Number 92-21466 CA 01-03, and

27         WHEREAS, on July 22, 1997, a Final Agreed Judgment was

28  entered by the Circuit Court in the amount of $4,000,000, and

29         WHEREAS, Jackson Memorial Hospital has paid to Jeanette

30  Alonso's legal representatives and court-appointed guardian of

31  her property the sum of $200,000, and


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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    SB 60                                          First Engrossed



  1         WHEREAS, the Public Health Trust of Dade County, d.b.a.

  2  Jackson Memorial Hospital, and Jeanette Alonso, through her

  3  legal representatives, have agreed to the passage of this

  4  claim bill for $3,800,000, which represents the remaining

  5  amount of the claim, NOW, THEREFORE,

  6

  7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  8

  9         Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble to this

10  act are found and declared to be true.

11         Section 2.  The Public Health Trust of Dade County,

12  d.b.a. Jackson Memorial Hospital, is authorized and directed

13  to appropriate from funds of the Public Health Trust not

14  otherwise appropriated and to draw a warrant in the sum of

15  $3,800,000, payable to the court-appointed guardian of the

16  property of Jeanette Alonso and her legal representatives, to

17  compensate her for the injuries and damages she suffered.

18  After payment of statutory attorney fees, and costs, the

19  balance shall be paid into the existing Special Needs Trust

20  Fund established for Jeanette Alonso.  Notwithstanding the

21  provisions of section 409.910, Florida Statutes, the lien

22  provided therein shall be in accordance with the terms of the

23  existing Special Needs Trust Fund.

24         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

25  law.

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