Senate Bill 0018e1

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







    SB 18                                    First Engrossed (ntc)



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the City of Hallandale;

  3         providing for the relief of Lawrence Gizzi for

  4         injuries and damages resulting from the

  5         negligence of the city; providing an effective

  6         date.

  7

  8         WHEREAS, on April 16, 1996, at approximately 9:15 p.m.,

  9  Lawrence Gizzi took his dog for a walk in his neighborhood in

10  the City of Hallandale and, as he crossed the street, the

11  asphalt near a manhole cover caved in and gave way, pinning

12  his left leg, up to the knee, under the asphalt street

13  surface, and

14         WHEREAS, Mr. Gizzi spent almost an hour pinned under

15  the asphalt, in the dark, with land crabs biting his left foot

16  and ankle; he was almost run over by a van; and, when police

17  arrived, they were unable to free him from the street surface,

18  and

19         WHEREAS, the fire department was ultimately called, and

20  they tore away the asphalt and freed Mr. Gizzi from the

21  street, and

22         WHEREAS, the City of Hallandale had previously ignored

23  a leaking manhole in the same area, where an old patch had

24  been placed over such leaking manhole, but the leak had never

25  been fixed and the ground underneath the old patch had

26  continued to erode, which caused the cave-in of the street,

27  and

28         WHEREAS, Mr. Gizzi was severely injured as a result of

29  this incident and subsequently underwent two surgeries, two

30  hospitalizations, and 2 years of physical therapy related to

31  the injuries, and


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






    SB 18                                    First Engrossed (ntc)



  1         WHEREAS, medical bills resulting from that treatment

  2  totaled $74,971.17, and

  3         WHEREAS, the City of Hallandale never offered more than

  4  $2,500 to settle the case, and the case proceeded to trial,

  5  with a jury verdict being rendered on January 13, 1999, and a

  6  final judgment being entered on February 8, 1999, and

  7         WHEREAS, the jury verdict in the case placed 100

  8  percent of the blame on the City of Hallandale and found no

  9  comparative negligence on the part of plaintiff Lawrence Gizzi

10  and no negligence on the part of the codefendant, Florida

11  Department of Transportation, and

12         WHEREAS, the jury awarded Mr. Gizzi $74,971.17 for past

13  medical expenses; $120,000 for future medical expenses; and

14  $30,000 for pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement,

15  mental anguish, and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life

16  in the past, and $15,000 for those elements of damages in the

17  future, for a total of $239,971.17, and

18         WHEREAS, the City of Hallandale has tendered $100,000,

19  in accordance with the limits set under section 768.28,

20  Florida Statutes, leaving a remainder to be paid of

21  $139,971.17, NOW, THEREFORE,

22

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

24

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

26  act are found and declared to be true.

27         Section 2.  The City of Hallandale is authorized and

28  directed to compensate Lawrence Gizzi in the amount of

29  $69,971.17 for injuries and damages sustained, such

30  compensation to be paid out of funds of the city not otherwise

31  appropriated.


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






    SB 18                                    First Engrossed (ntc)



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

  2  law.

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