Senate Bill sb0030

    Florida Senate - 2002        (NP)                        SB 30

    By Senator Jones





    40-75B-02

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to Miami-Dade County; providing

  3         for the relief of Hilda De Paz; authorizing and

  4         directing Miami-Dade County to compensate Hilda

  5         De Paz for personal injuries she suffered due

  6         to the negligence of county employees;

  7         providing an effective date.

  8

  9         WHEREAS, on May 23, 1995, Miss Hilda De Paz was on her

10  way to her job as a housekeeper and was a passenger on a Metro

11  Transit Authority bus that carelessly rear-ended another Metro

12  bus, on Collins Avenue near 44th Street in Miami Beach, and

13         WHEREAS, Miss De Paz initially was in critical

14  condition as a result of the multiple traumas she suffered

15  from the impact, and the injuries she incurred in the accident

16  have substantially affected her life so that she has a

17  12-percent impairment disability, as rated on the Florida

18  Impairment Rating Guide, and she is no longer able to perform

19  any work, needs future medical care, and cannot do any heavy

20  lifting, bending, or strenuous activities, and

21         WHEREAS, to date, Miss De Paz has received no

22  compensation, and her medical bills are still outstanding, and

23         WHEREAS, in order to satisfy the claims of other

24  injured bus passengers, Miami-Dade County has already paid a

25  total of $200,000, the maximum amount allowable under section

26  768.28, Florida Statutes, leaving no funds available to

27  compensate Miss De Paz, and

28         WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County wishes to provide for the

29  past and future medical bills of Miss De Paz and to compensate

30  her for lost wages and lost earning ability, and

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    Florida Senate - 2002        (NP)                        SB 30
    40-75B-02




  1         WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County and Hilda De Paz agreed to

  2  settle this case, and an Agreed Final Judgment was entered on

  3  May 25, 2000, awarding Miss De Paz a total of $60,000 plus

  4  interest, and

  5         WHEREAS, in order for the Agreed Final Judgment to take

  6  effect, a claim bill that incorporates the terms of the

  7  agreed-upon final judgment must be enacted, NOW, THEREFORE,

  8

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

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

12  act are found and declared to be true.

13         Section 2.  Miami-Dade County is authorized and

14  directed to appropriate from funds of the county not otherwise

15  appropriated and to draw a warrant in the amount of $60,000,

16  which amount includes statutory attorney's fees and costs,

17  payable to Hilda de Paz for injuries and damages she sustained

18  as a result of the negligence of a county employee. The

19  payment shall be made within 30 days after the effective date

20  of this act.

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

22  law.

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