House Bill hb1181

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 1181

        By Representative Ritter






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the City of Coral Springs;

  3         providing for the relief of Helene Rippe;

  4         providing for an appropriation to compensate

  5         her for personal injuries suffered due to the

  6         negligence of the city; providing an effective

  7         date.

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  9         WHEREAS, Helene Rippe was attending a Little League

10  game at Mullins Park, a multi-recreational facility owned and

11  operated by the City of Coral Springs, when she was struck

12  squarely in the middle of her face with a hard-hit foul ball,

13  was knocked unconscious, and suffered extensive injuries,

14  which necessitated two surgeries and resulted in the loss of

15  her job, and

16         WHEREAS, when Helene Rippe was struck, she was watching

17  the game from a spot in front of the players' benches and

18  behind a fence that is 4 feet high, although she had

19  previously been watching from the bleachers, which are behind

20  an 8-foot-high fence, and

21         WHEREAS, Helene Rippe sued the city, alleging

22  negligence, and the jury concluded that the city should have

23  anticipated spectator injury despite the obviousness of the

24  danger, that the city had constructive knowledge of the

25  existence of a dangerous condition and therefore had a duty to

26  correct the condition, and that the city was 40 percent at

27  fault for Mrs. Rippe's injuries, and

28         WHEREAS, a final judgment in the amount of $130,000 was

29  entered in favor of Helene Rippe, of which the city has paid

30  $100,000, the maximum amount allowable under section 768.28,

31  Florida Statutes, and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 1181

    585-129-01






  1         WHEREAS, the amount remaining under the judgment is

  2  $30,000, which may be paid only through the passage of a claim

  3  bill, NOW, THEREFORE,

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

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

  8  act are found and declared to be true.

  9         Section 2.  The City of Coral Springs is authorized and

10  directed to appropriate from funds of the city not otherwise

11  appropriated and to draw a warrant in the amount of $30,000

12  payable to Helene Rippe as compensation for injuries and

13  damages sustained.

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

15  law.

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