Florida Senate - 2015                               CS for SB 66
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Judiciary; and Senator Legg
       
       
       
       
       
       590-02823-15                                            201566c1
    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
    4         compensate him for injuries sustained as a result of
    5         the negligence of an employee of the City of
    6         Hollywood; providing a limitation on the payment of
    7         fees and costs; providing an effective date.
    8  
    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 Robert Mettler, a City of Hollywood
   13  employee, driving a city utilities truck, cut across the
   14  northbound lanes of traffic and crashed head-on into Ronald
   15  Miller’s vehicle, and
   16         WHEREAS, the impact of the crash caused Ronald Miller to
   17  have corrective surgeries for damage to both knees, and
   18         WHEREAS, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Ronald
   19  Miller, and a final judgment was entered in the amount of
   20  $1,130,731.89, and a cost judgment was entered in the amount of
   21  $17,257.82, and
   22         WHEREAS, the City of Hollywood has paid $100,000 to Ronald
   23  Miller under the statutory limits of liability set forth in s.
   24  768.28, Florida Statutes, and
   25         WHEREAS, the parties have negotiated in good faith and have
   26  arrived at a stipulated resolution of this matter for the
   27  payment by the City of Hollywood of an additional $100,000 to
   28  Ronald Miller, NOW, THEREFORE,
   29  
   30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   31  
   32         Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act are
   33  found and declared to be true.
   34         Section 2. The City of Hollywood is authorized and directed
   35  to appropriate from funds of the city not otherwise appropriated
   36  and to draw a warrant, payable to Ronald Miller, for the total
   37  amount of $100,000 as compensation for injuries and damages
   38  sustained as a result of the negligence of an employee of the
   39  City of Hollywood.
   40         Section 3. The amount paid by the City of Hollywood
   41  pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded
   42  under this act are intended to provide the sole compensation for
   43  all present and future claims arising out of the factual
   44  situation described in this act which resulted in injuries to
   45  Ronald Miller. All expenses that constitute a part of Ronald
   46  Miller’s judgments described in this claim shall be paid from
   47  the amount awarded under this act on a pro rata basis. The total
   48  amount paid for attorney fees, lobbying fees, costs, and other
   49  similar expenses relating to this claim may not exceed 25
   50  percent of the amount awarded under this act.
   51         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.