FL S0014

St. Lucie County School District shall appropriate $1.5 million to Lillian Beauchamp as personal representative of the Estate of Aaron Beauchamp by November 1, 2017, for wrongful death compensation.

Payment compensates for the March 26, 2012 school bus accident where 9-year-old Aaron Beauchamp died from injuries sustained when bus driver Albert Hazen negligently turned into oncoming traffic on an unfamiliar route.

A jury awarded $10 million in September 2015 (finding the district 87 percent at fault), with a final judgment of $8.7 million entered in November 2015, which the district did not appeal.

From the $1.5 million settlement, attorney fees may not exceed $300,000, lobbying fees may not exceed $75,000, and costs and expenses may not exceed $4,246.02.

The appropriation provides sole compensation for all present and future claims arising from Aaron Beauchamp's wrongful death.