Senate Bill sb0006er

    ENROLLED

    2002 Legislature                                   CS for SB 6



  1

  2         An act for the relief of Laura D. Strazza;

  3         providing an appropriation to compensate her

  4         for injuries she sustained as a result of the

  5         negligence of an employee of the Department of

  6         Agriculture and Consumer Services; providing an

  7         effective date.

  8

  9         WHEREAS, on April 25, 1996, Laura D. Strazza was riding

10  as a passenger in a motor vehicle on U.S. 1 in Juno Beach,

11  Palm Beach County, and

12         WHEREAS, an employee of the Department of Agriculture

13  and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, was operating, on

14  and next to that highway, a large transport truck that

15  collided with the motor vehicle in which Laura D. Strazza was

16  a passenger, and

17         WHEREAS, as a consequence of this motor-vehicle crash,

18  Laura D. Strazza sustained multiple grievous injuries such

19  that she has been unable to work, has undergone surgical

20  procedures, and needs to undergo future surgical procedures,

21  and

22         WHEREAS, a legal action was brought by Laura Strazza, a

23  single woman, against the Department of Agriculture and

24  Consumer Services, and

25         WHEREAS, on July 13, 1999, a jury rendered a verdict in

26  favor of Laura D. Strazza, finding that the Department of

27  Agriculture and Consumer Services was partly negligent in

28  causing a motor-vehicle crash between the vehicle in which Ms.

29  Strazza was riding as a passenger and the department's

30  transport truck, and

31


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




    ENROLLED

    2002 Legislature                                   CS for SB 6



  1         WHEREAS, the jury rendered damages in the amount of

  2  $1,464,000, and, after reduction for collateral sources and

  3  comparative negligence of the driver of the vehicle in which

  4  Ms. Strazza was riding, a Final Judgment in the amount of

  5  $944,829 and a Cost Judgment in the amount of $32,490.62, both

  6  bearing interest at the statutory rate of 10 percent per year,

  7  were entered against the Department of Agriculture and

  8  Consumer Services, and

  9         WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer

10  Services has paid Laura Strazza $100,000, the maximum amount

11  allowable under section 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the

12  remainder owed under the judgment will be $877,319.62, plus

13  $5,002.60 in additional costs, for a total amount of

14  $882,322.22, NOW, THEREFORE,

15

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

17

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

19  act are found and declared to be true.

20         Section 2.  There is appropriated from the General

21  Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer

22  Services the sum of $882,322.22 for the relief of Laura D.

23  Strazza for injuries and damages sustained by her.

24         Section 3.  The Comptroller is directed to draw a

25  warrant in favor of Laura D. Strazza in the amount of

26  $882,322.22, upon funds of the Department of Agriculture and

27  Consumer Services in the State Treasury, and the State

28  Treasurer is directed to pay the same out of such funds in the

29  State Treasury.

30         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

31  law.


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