State awards millions to South Florida accident victims
Gov. Rick Scott signed bills on Friday that include millions of dollars for three teenagers from Broward and Palm Beach counties who were severely injured in separate incidents.
Jerry Cunningham, 18, of Pompano Beach, will get a $550,000 payment for injuries suffered in 2013 when the then-14-year-old boy’s arm was trapped in a Broward County bus door. The bus drove off, Cunningham fell under it and suffered a traumatic brain injury and other injuries. The county settled for $850,000 and paid $300,000 of the amount upon settling.
Because of a legal principle called sovereign immunity, when someone is injured due to the negligence of an employee of local or state government, only $300,000 can initially be awarded after winning a lawsuit or settling out of court. Any more money than that has to be approved by the Florida Legislature and the governor.
In 2005, Altavious Carter was a 14-year-old passenger in a vehicle stopped at a red light when the vehicle was struck by a Palm Beach County School District bus. Carter broke his neck and his family and the school district eventually settled. Carter is now set to receive $790,000 after Scott’s signature Friday.
Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/florida-politics-blog/fl-reg-scott-signs-33-bills-cunningham-20170602-story.html
