| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act for the relief of Ronald Miller by the City of |
| 3 | Hollywood; providing for an appropriation to compensate |
| 4 | him for injuries sustained as a result of the negligence |
| 5 | of the City of Hollywood; providing a limitation on the |
| 6 | payment of attorneys' and lobbyists' fees and costs; |
| 7 | providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | WHEREAS, on July 30, 2002, Ronald Miller was driving his |
| 10 | pickup truck home from work, northbound on Federal Highway in |
| 11 | the left-turn lane, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, at that time, a City of Hollywood employee, Robert |
| 13 | Mettler, was driving a city utilities truck and crashed into Mr. |
| 14 | Miller's vehicle, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, the impact of the crash caused Mr. Miller to have |
| 16 | corrective surgeries for damage to both knees, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, the jury found in favor of Ronald Miller and a |
| 18 | Final Judgment was entered in the amount of $1,130,731.89, and a |
| 19 | cost judgment was entered in the amount of $17,257.82, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, the City of Hollywood has paid $100,000 to Ronald |
| 21 | Miller under the statutory limits of liability set forth in s. |
| 22 | 768.28, Florida Statutes, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, the parties have negotiated in good faith and have |
| 24 | arrived at a stipulated resolution of this matter by the payment |
| 25 | by the City of Hollywood of an additional $100,000 to Ronald |
| 26 | Miller, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 27 |
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| 28 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 29 |
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| 30 | Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act |
| 31 | are found and declared to be true. |
| 32 | Section 2. The City of Hollywood is authorized and |
| 33 | directed to appropriate from funds of the city and to draw a |
| 34 | warrant, payable to Ronald Miller, for the total amount of |
| 35 | $100,000 as compensation for injuries and damages sustained as a |
| 36 | result of the negligence of the City of Hollywood. |
| 37 | Section 3. The amount paid by the City of Hollywood |
| 38 | pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded |
| 39 | under this act are the sole and final compensation for all |
| 40 | present and future claims arising out of the facts described in |
| 41 | this act that resulted in injuries to Ronald Miller. All |
| 42 | expenses that constituted part of Ronald Miller's judgments |
| 43 | described herein shall be paid from the amount awarded under |
| 44 | this act on a pro rata basis. The total amount paid from all |
| 45 | sources for attorney's fees, lobbying fees, costs, and other |
| 46 | similar expenses relating to this claim may not exceed 25 |
| 47 | percent of the amount awarded under this act. |
| 48 | Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |