$1.2 Million South Florida Truck Crash Settlement Dispute: Hollywood Fighting Award to City Truck Accident Victim
In 2006, a Broward County jury awarded a landscaper injured in a Hollywood Florida public works truck accident $1.2 million for his injuries. Now insurance company attorneys for the city of Hollywood Florida are fighting the award, refusing to pay the injured man what a jury determined he was owed.
Ronald Miller of West Hollywood, Florida, was a self-employed landscaper with no health insurance. During the evening rush hour on July 30, 2002, Miller was going northbound on Federal Highway and planned to turn left onto Sherman Street. A Hollywood Florida Public Works truck cut him off and crashed into his pickup truck. Both trucks were totaled.
Since the accident, Miller, who runs Ron's Lawn Service, has endured two knee surgeries amounting to $60,000 per knee. He continues to mow lawns for a living on painful knees so badly damaged that they may need to be replaced with artificial joints in the future. After the verdict, Miller received $100,000 from the city, and half went to his growing medical bills which he admitted were far greater than he expected. His personal injury attorney believes his future medical bills may be in excess of $300,000. The sad irony of this case is that the accident victim only sought a settlement of $85,000 initially.
The $1.2 million jury verdict is in dispute because under Florida law, municipalities are protected from judgments in excess of $100,000, unless the Legislature waives the state cap. Because Miller only initially asked for $85K to cover his medical expenses, and due to other factors complicating the case, the insurance company for Hollywood Florida believes the case was mishandled, and the $1.2 million award would unfairly burden taxpayers. Hollywood Florida insurance company lawyers are seeking to have the verdict voided or the award reduced. A special legislative hearing has been called in this case.
As Florida accident attorneys, we are familiar with the strategies insurance companies use when people who have suffered personal injury seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Now the city of Hollywood Florida is trying to shift some of the blame for the truck accident onto Mr. Miller, who says he is unable to keep up with his medical bills or to work enough to support his family. We will be watching for the outcome of this Broward County legal dispute, which is not expected for several months.
Hollywood fighting $1.2 million liability award in public works truck crash Sun-Sentinel.com Nov. 22, 2008
