HB 629

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act for the relief of Norka Laureiro by Miami-Dade
3	County; authorizing and directing Miami-Dade County to
4	compensate Norka Laureiro for injuries sustained as a
5	result of a collision caused by a Miami-Dade County bus;
6	providing an effective date.
7
8	WHEREAS, on March 25, 1998, Norka Laureiro was transporting
9	children in a private school van when she approached an
10	intersection, and
11	WHEREAS, a Miami-Dade County bus ran a stop sign at the
12	intersection and collided with Ms. Laureiro's van, which caused
13	serious injuries to Ms. Laureiro and several children, and
14	WHEREAS, the driver of the Miami-Dade County bus had a
15	significant history of driving citations and safety violations,
16	and
17	WHEREAS, as a result of the collision, Ms. Laureiro
18	suffered a crushing blow to her head which caused bone and nerve
19	damage and she underwent reconstructive surgery, and
20	WHEREAS, as a result of the collision, Ms. Laureiro has
21	permanent numbness on the right side of her face due to damaged
22	cranial nerves, and
23	WHEREAS, Ms. Laureiro also suffered permanent injury to her
24	Achilles tendon, several fractures to her right leg, and a
25	subtalar joint dislocation to her right foot which required two
26	major orthopedic surgeries, and
27	WHEREAS, because of the extent of the break to and
28	fragmentation of the bone in her foot, surgery could not achieve
29	complete alignment, and
30	WHEREAS, due to the resulting extensive arthritis and
31	progressive nature of her injury, Ms. Laureiro is unable to use
32	her foot normally, will need additional surgeries in the future,
33	experiences swelling of the foot, is in constant pain, and, as a
34	result, limps when she walks, which causes additional pain in
35	her hips, back, and legs, and
36	WHEREAS, since the accident, Ms. Laureiro has been under
37	the care of a neurologist for the nerve damage to her foot, leg,
38	and face and has also been on antidepressants since the
39	collision, and
40	WHEREAS, before the accident, Ms. Laureiro owned her own
41	business that involved driving children to and from school 5
42	days a week, but due to the nature of her foot injury, she is
43	unable to continue her driving business and has not worked since
44	the accident, and
45	WHEREAS, on September 3, 2003, a jury from the Miami-Dade
46	County Circuit Court returned a verdict in favor of Norka
47	Laureiro in the sum of $1,550,685.38 and $50,000 in favor of
48	Norka Laureiro's husband, Fredy Laureiro, for his loss of
49	consortium, and
50	WHEREAS, Defendant Miami-Dade County appealed the verdict
51	to the Third District Court of Appeal, and while the appeal was
52	pending, the parties resubmitted the case to mediation and
53	reached a settlement of $1 million, and
54	WHEREAS, on March 29, 2005, the Circuit Court of the
55	Eleventh Judicial Circuit issued a final consent judgment
56	against Miami-Dade County in favor of Norka Laureiro in the sum
57	of $1 million, and
58	WHEREAS, $900 has already been paid pursuant to the limits
59	of liability set forth in section 768.28, Florida Statutes, NOW,
60	THEREFORE,
61
62	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
63
64	Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble to this act
65	are found and declared to be true.
66	Section 2.  Miami-Dade County is authorized and directed to
67	appropriate from funds of the county not otherwise appropriated
68	and to draw a warrant payable to Norka Laureiro in the amount of
69	$999,100 for injuries and damages she sustained due to the
70	negligence of Miami-Dade County.
71	Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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