FL S0054

Authorizes Orange County to appropriate $750,000 to compensate Robert Allan Smith for injuries sustained from a September 7, 2006 motorcycle collision caused by negligence of an Orange County employee.

Orange County employee Lynn Lawrence Godden failed to yield at a stop sign while driving a county work van, striking Smith's motorcycle and causing severe injuries including amputation of his right leg above the knee, fractured left leg, broken pelvis and sacrum, and internal organ damage.

A civil jury previously awarded Smith $4,814,785.37 in total damages, reduced to a final judgment of $2,813,536.09 against Orange County on November 27, 2012; Orange County has paid only $100,000 under statutory liability limits.

Orange County must repay the Agency for Health Care Administration all unreimbursed Medicaid medical payments up to the date the act becomes law before disbursing funds to Smith.

Attorney fees related to this claim are limited to 25 percent of the $750,000 award, and the combined payment from Orange County constitutes sole compensation for all present and future claims arising from this incident.