FL S0188

Miami-Dade County is authorized to appropriate $470,000 each to Monica Cantillo Acosta and Luis Alberto Cantillo Acosta as compensation for the wrongful death of their mother, Nhora Acosta, totaling $940,000.

The appropriation compensates for injuries sustained when a Miami-Dade County bus driver negligently caused Nhora Acosta to fall and strike her head on November 12, 2004, resulting in her death.

A Miami-Dade County jury found the bus driver 100 percent negligent in 2007 and determined damages of $3 million each for the two children; the parties subsequently settled for $1,140,000 total.

Miami-Dade County previously paid $200,000 to the claimants under statutory liability limits, with this bill providing the additional $940,000 payment.

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