Florida Senate - 2013                             (NP)    SB 178
       
       
       
       By Senator Soto
       
       
       
       
       14-00472-13                                            2013178__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act for the relief of Donald Brown by the District
    3         School Board of Sumter County; providing for an
    4         appropriation to compensate Donald Brown for injuries
    5         sustained as a result of the negligence of an employee
    6         of the District School Board of Sumter County;
    7         providing a limitation on the payment of fees and
    8         costs; providing an effective date.
    9  
   10         WHEREAS, on October 18, 2004, at approximately 6:45 a.m.,
   11  Donald Brown was driving his Harley-Davidson motorcycle
   12  eastbound on County Road 470 and was approaching the
   13  intersection with County Road 475 in Bushnell, Florida, and
   14         WHEREAS, Patsy C. Foxworth was operating a school bus,
   15  owned by the District School Board of Sumter County, on County
   16  Road 475 in Bushnell, Florida, and
   17         WHEREAS, Patsy C. Foxworth was operating and driving the
   18  motor vehicle with the permission and consent of its owner, the
   19  District School Board of Sumter County, and
   20         WHEREAS, at that time and place, Patsy C. Foxworth
   21  negligently operated the Sumter County school bus by pulling in
   22  front of Donald Brown in an attempt to make a left turn, which
   23  caused a collision with his motorcycle, and
   24         WHEREAS, the District School Board of Sumter County is
   25  vicariously liable for the negligence of Patsy C. Foxworth under
   26  the doctrine of respondeat superior, s. 768.28(9)(a), Florida
   27  Statutes, and
   28         WHEREAS, upon the impact with the Sumter County school bus,
   29  Donald Brown sustained a life-changing injury, and his right
   30  lower leg was amputated instantly below the knee as his leg and
   31  foot were pinned between the bumper of the bus and motorcycle,
   32  and
   33         WHEREAS, Donald Brown seeks to recover damages for his
   34  bodily injury, including a permanent injury to the body as a
   35  whole, past and future pain and suffering of both a physical and
   36  mental nature, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement,
   37  mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of capacity for the
   38  enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical and
   39  nursing care and treatment, loss of earnings, loss of ability to
   40  earn money, and loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life,
   41  and
   42         WHEREAS, Donald Brown was airlifted to Orlando Regional
   43  Medical Center and was hospitalized from October 18, 2004, to
   44  October 27, 2004, where he was taken to surgery on October 18,
   45  2004, to complete a below-the-knee amputation of his right leg,
   46  and
   47         WHEREAS, Donald Brown underwent additional surgeries on
   48  October 25, 2004, and October 28, 2004, to care for the wound
   49  and to graft skin from his left thigh to cover an area of
   50  approximately 45 by 30 cm on his right leg, and
   51         WHEREAS, Donald Brown was transferred to Shands Hospital in
   52  Gainesville, Florida, for rehabilitation from November 2, 2004,
   53  to November 12, 2004, and
   54         WHEREAS, as a result of the injuries incurred on October
   55  18, 2004, Donald Brown required the use of a prosthetic leg,
   56  which resulted in ulcers requiring additional surgery on January
   57  17, 2006, and
   58         WHEREAS, the effects of the injuries have been devastating,
   59  restricting Donald Brown’s ability to work and enjoy life, and
   60         WHEREAS, Donald Brown incurred medical expenses in the
   61  amount of $421,693.60 and was medically retired from his federal
   62  employment at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Coleman, Florida,
   63  where he was earning $42,000 a year, and
   64         WHEREAS, Donald Brown lived a full life before his accident
   65  on October 18, 2004, had a zest and vigor for life, and was very
   66  active in recreational, social, and sporting activities, and
   67         WHEREAS, a lawsuit was brought against the District School
   68  Board of Sumter County by Donald Brown, and, after a lengthy
   69  jury trial, the jury found the school board liable for Donald
   70  Brown’s injuries and awarded him damages in the amount of
   71  $2,941,240.60, and
   72         WHEREAS, the Honorable Michelle T. Morley, Circuit Court
   73  Judge from the Fifth Judicial Circuit in Sumter County, entered
   74  a final judgment on March 2, 2009, reducing the final verdict to
   75  $2,651,375.83, plus taxable costs in the amount of $31,674.12
   76  and interest to accrue on the amount of the judgment at a rate
   77  of 11 percent per annum from the date that the judgment was
   78  rendered until payment, and
   79         WHEREAS, the District School Board of Sumter County filed a
   80  notice of appeal of the judgment on March 30, 2009, which was
   81  affirmed by the Fifth District Court of Appeal on February 18,
   82  2011, and
   83         WHEREAS, Donald Brown is receiving continuous medical care
   84  for his injuries, including two surgeries after the trial, the
   85  first surgery occurring on September 16 and 17, 2009, at Orlando
   86  Regional Medical Center due to a bone infection on his right
   87  leg, and the second surgery occurring on August 27, 2010, at the
   88  Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, due to complications
   89  with his right leg resulting in an above-the-knee amputation,
   90  and
   91         WHEREAS, the District School Board of Sumter County has
   92  paid $100,000 pursuant to the statutory limits of liability set
   93  forth in s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and
   94         WHEREAS, the remainder of the judgment is sought through
   95  the submission of a claim bill to the Legislature, NOW,
   96  THEREFORE,
   97  
   98  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   99  
  100         Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act are
  101  found and declared to be true.
  102         Section 2. The District School Board of Sumter County is
  103  authorized and directed to appropriate from funds of the school
  104  board not otherwise appropriated and from available insurance
  105  proceeds and to draw a warrant payable to Donald Brown in the
  106  amount of $900,000. In addition, the District School Board of
  107  Sumter County is further authorized and directed to appropriate
  108  from funds of the school board not otherwise appropriated and to
  109  draw a warrant payable to Donald Brown in the sum of $50,000 by
  110  July 1 of each year beginning in 2013 through 2022, inclusive,
  111  for a total of $500,000. The total amount awarded under this act
  112  is $1,400,000.
  113         Section 3. The compensation awarded under this act is
  114  intended to provide the sole compensation for all present and
  115  future claims arising out of the factual situation described in
  116  this act which resulted in the injuries to Donald Brown. The
  117  total amount paid for attorney fees, lobbying fees, costs, and
  118  other similar expenses relating to this claim may not exceed 15
  119  percent of the first $1,000,000 awarded under this act, and 10
  120  percent of the remainder awarded under this act, for a total of
  121  $190,000. However, taxable costs, which may not include attorney
  122  fees and lobbying fees, related to the underlying civil action
  123  may be collected in addition to the $190,000.
  124         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.