FL H1385

Palm Beach County School Board is authorized to appropriate $944,034.30 from unencumbered funds as compensation to Altavious Carter for injuries sustained in a December 15, 2005 school bus accident.

Carter, a 14-year-old passenger in a vehicle struck by a school bus traveling 48.5 mph, suffered a broken neck at the C6 level, spinal cord damage, and subsequently underwent discectomy/fusion surgery.

A February 25, 2010 jury verdict awarded Carter $1,094,034.30 in total; the $944,034.30 appropriation supplements the statutory liability limit of $100,000 under Florida Statutes section 768.28.

Attorney fees, lobbying fees, costs, and similar expenses related to this claim are capped at 25 percent of the total amount awarded under the act.

The act takes effect upon becoming law and constitutes sole compensation for all present and future claims arising from the incident.