HB 6517 2025
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hb6517-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act for the relief of Jose Correa by Miami -Dade 2
County; providing for an appropriation to compensate 3
Jose Correa for injuries sustained as a result of the 4
negligence of an employee of Miami -Dade County; 5
providing a limitation on compensation and the payment 6
of certain fees; providing an effective date. 7
8
WHEREAS, on December 16, 2021, Jose Correa was lawfully 9
walking across Bird Road, SW 40th Street, wit hin the marked 10
crosswalk at the intersection of Bird Road and Le Jeune Road, SW 11
42nd Avenue, in Miami -Dade County, and 12
WHEREAS, a Miami-Dade County bus driver failed to observe 13
Mr. Correa and made a left -hand turn at the intersection, 14
causing a collision between the bus and Mr. Correa, and 15
WHEREAS, Mr. Correa has alleged, through a lawsuit filed on 16
July 21, 2022, in the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial 17
Circuit, that the negligence of Miami -Dade County, through its 18
bus driver, was the proximate cause of Mr. Correa's injuries, 19
and 20
WHEREAS, Mr. Correa suffered personal injuries resulting in 21
significant pain and anguish, including a below -knee amputation, 22
and will continue to suffer pain and anguish for the remainder 23
of his life, and 24
WHEREAS, since the incident, Mr. Correa has incurred 25
HB 6517 2025
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hb6517-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
considerable medical care and treatment costs related to his 26
injuries, and he will require such care and treatment for the 27
remainder of his life, and 28
WHEREAS, following the filing of the lawsuit, Mr. Correa 29
and Miami-Dade County reached a settlement agreement in the 30
amount of $4.3 million, and 31
WHEREAS, pursuant to that settlement agreement and the 32
limits of liability set forth in s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, 33
the settlement agreement will be partially satisfied by Miami -34
Dade County in the amount of $200,000, and the satisfaction of 35
the remainder is contingent upon the passage of a claim bill in 36
the amount of $4.1 million, NOW, THEREFORE, 37
38
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 39
40
Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act 41
are found and declared to be true. 42
Section 2. Miami-Dade County is authorized and directed to 43
appropriate from funds not otherwise encumbered and to draw a 44
warrant in the sum of $4.1 million payable to Jose Correa as 45
compensation for injuries and damages sustained. 46
Section 3. The amount paid by Miami -Dade County pursuant 47
to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded under 48
this act are intended to provide the sole compensation for all 49
present and future cl aims arising out of the factual situation 50
HB 6517 2025
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hb6517-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
described in this act which resulted in injuries and damages to 51
Jose Correa. The total amount paid for attorney fees and 52
lobbying fees relating to this claim may not exceed 25 percent 53
of the total amount awarded un der this act. 54
Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 55