House Bill hb0761

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 761

        By Representative Bullard






  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 injuries suffered due to the

  6         negligence of county employees; providing an

  7         effective date.

  8

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

10  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, Hilda De Paz initially was in critical

14  condition as a result of the multiple traumas she suffered

15  from the accident of May 23, 1995, and the injuries she

16  incurred in the accident have substantially affected her life,

17  so that she has a 12-percent impairment disability, as rated

18  on the Florida Impairment Rating Guide, and she is no longer

19  able to perform any work, needs future medical care, and

20  cannot do any heavy lifting, bending, or strenuous activities,

21  and

22         WHEREAS, to date, Hilda De Paz has received no

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

24         WHEREAS, in order to satisfy the claims of other

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

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

27  768.28, Florida Statutes, leaving no funds available to

28  compensate Hilda De Paz, and

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

30  past and future medical bills of Hilda De Paz and to

31  compensate her for lost wages and lost earning ability, and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 761

    756-107-01






  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 Hilda 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 sum of $60,000

16  payable to Hilda De Paz as compensation for injuries and

17  damages sustained.

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

19  law.

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