CS/HB 629

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to Miami-Dade County; providing for the
3	relief of Norka Laureiro; authorizing and directing Miami-
4	Dade County to compensate Norka Laureiro for injuries
5	sustained as a result of a collision caused by a Miami-
6	Dade County bus; providing for a limitation on payment of
7	fees and costs; providing an effective date.
8
9	WHEREAS, on March 25, 1998, Norka Laureiro was transporting
10	children in a private school van when she approached an
11	intersection, and
12	WHEREAS, a Miami-Dade County bus ran a stop sign at the
13	intersection and collided with Ms. Laureiro's van, which caused
14	serious injuries to Ms. Laureiro and several children, and
15	WHEREAS, the driver of the Miami-Dade County bus had a
16	significant history of driving citations and safety violations,
17	and
18	WHEREAS, as a result of the collision, Ms. Laureiro
19	suffered a crushing blow to her head which caused bone and nerve
20	damage, and she underwent reconstructive surgery; however, Ms.
21	Laureiro has permanent numbness on the right side of her face
22	due to damaged cranial nerves, and
23	WHEREAS, Ms. Laureiro also suffered permanent injury to her
24	Achilles tendon, several fractures to her right leg, and a
25	subtalar joint dislocation to her right foot which required two
26	major orthopedic surgeries, and because of the extent of the
27	break to and fragmentation of the bone in her foot, surgery
28	could not achieve complete alignment, and
29	WHEREAS, due to the resulting extensive arthritis and
30	progressive nature of the injury, Ms. Laureiro is unable to use
31	her foot normally, she will need additional surgeries in the
32	future, her foot swells, she is in constant pain, and, as a
33	result, Ms. Laureiro limps when she walks, which causes
34	additional pain in her hips, back, and legs, and
35	WHEREAS, since the accident, Ms. Laureiro has been under
36	the care of a neurologist for the nerve damage to her foot, leg,
37	and face and she has also been on antidepressants since the
38	collision, and
39	WHEREAS, before the accident, Ms. Laureiro owned her own
40	business that involved driving children to and from school 5
41	days a week, but due to the nature of her foot injury, she is
42	unable to continue her driving business, and she has not worked
43	since the accident, and
44	WHEREAS, on September 3, 2003, a jury from the Miami-Dade
45	County Circuit Court returned a verdict in favor of Ms. Laureiro
46	in the sum of $1,550,685.38 and $50,000 in favor of Ms.
47	Laureiro's husband, Fredy Laureiro, for his loss of consortium,
48	and
49	WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County appealed the verdict to the
50	Third District Court of Appeal, and while the appeal was
51	pending, the parties re-mediated the case and reached a
52	settlement of $1 million, and
53	WHEREAS, on March 29, 2005, the Circuit Court of the
54	Eleventh Judicial Circuit issued a final consent judgment
55	against Miami-Dade County in favor of Ms. Laureiro in the sum of
56	$1 million, NOW, THEREFORE,
57
58	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
59
60	Section 1.  The facts stated in the preamble to this act
61	are found and declared to be true.
62	Section 2.  Miami-Dade County is authorized and directed to
63	appropriate from funds of the county not otherwise appropriated
64	and to draw a warrant payable to Norka Laureiro in the amount of
65	$999,100 for injuries and damages sustained due to the
66	negligence of the Miami-Dade County bus driver.
67	Section 3.  This award is intended to provide the sole
68	compensation for any and all present and future claims arising
69	out of the factual situation in connection with the injury to
70	Norka Laureiro. Not more than 25 percent of the award may be
71	paid by the claimant for attorney's fees, lobbying fees, costs
72	or other similar expenses.
73	Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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