| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act for the relief of Laura D. Strazza; providing |
| 3 | an appropriation to compensate her for injuries she |
| 4 | sustained as a result of the negligence of an employee |
| 5 | of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer |
| 6 | Services; providing a limitation on the payment of |
| 7 | fees and costs; providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | WHEREAS, on April 25, 1996, Laura D. Strazza was riding as |
| 10 | a passenger in a motor vehicle on U.S. 1 in Juno Beach, Palm |
| 11 | Beach County, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, an employee of the Department of Agriculture and |
| 13 | Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, was operating, on and |
| 14 | next to that highway, a large transport truck that collided with |
| 15 | the motor vehicle in which Laura D. Strazza was a passenger, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, as a consequence of this motor vehicle crash, |
| 17 | Laura D. Strazza sustained multiple grievous injuries such that |
| 18 | she has been unable to work, has undergone surgical procedures, |
| 19 | and needs to undergo future surgical procedures, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, a legal action was brought by Laura Strazza, a |
| 21 | single woman, against the Department of Agriculture and Consumer |
| 22 | Services, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, on July 13, 1999, a jury rendered a verdict in |
| 24 | favor of Laura D. Strazza, finding that the Department of |
| 25 | Agriculture and Consumer Services was partly negligent in |
| 26 | causing a motor vehicle crash between the vehicle in which Ms. |
| 27 | Strazza was riding as a passenger and the department's transport |
| 28 | truck, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, the jury rendered damages in the amount of |
| 30 | $1,464,000, and, after reduction for collateral sources and |
| 31 | comparative negligence of the driver of the vehicle in which Ms. |
| 32 | Strazza was riding, a Final Judgment in the amount of $944,829 |
| 33 | and a Cost Judgment in the amount of $32,490.62, both bearing |
| 34 | interest at the statutory rate of 10 percent per year, were |
| 35 | entered against the Department of Agriculture and Consumer |
| 36 | Services, and |
| 37 | WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer |
| 38 | Services has paid Laura Strazza $100,000, the maximum amount |
| 39 | allowable under s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the remainder |
| 40 | owed under the judgment will be $877,319.62, plus $5,002.60 in |
| 41 | additional costs, for a total amount of $882,322.22, NOW, |
| 42 | THEREFORE, |
| 43 |
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| 44 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 45 |
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| 46 | Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act |
| 47 | are found and declared to be true. |
| 48 | Section 2. The sum of $882,322.22 is appropriated from the |
| 49 | General Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture and |
| 50 | Consumer Services for the relief of Laura D. Strazza for |
| 51 | injuries and damages sustained. |
| 52 | Section 3. The Chief Financial Officer is directed to draw |
| 53 | a warrant in favor of Laura D. Strazza in the amount of |
| 54 | $882,322.22 upon funds of the Department of Agriculture and |
| 55 | Consumer Services in the State Treasury, and the Chief Financial |
| 56 | Officer is directed to pay the same out of such funds in the |
| 57 | State Treasury. |
| 58 | Section 4. This award is intended to provide the sole |
| 59 | compensation for all present and future claims arising out of |
| 60 | the factual situation described in this act which resulted in |
| 61 | injuries to Laura D. Strazza. The total amount paid for |
| 62 | attorney's fees, lobbying fees, costs, and other similar |
| 63 | expenses relating to this claim may not exceed 25 percent of the |
| 64 | amount awarded under this act. |
| 65 | Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |