A woman who suffered permanent nerve damage nine years ago when a Miami-Dade gate arm struck her has been cleared to receive the remainder of an $800,000 settlement with the county under legislation Gov. Ron DeSantis just approved.<\/p>\n
DeSantis this week signed HB 6515<\/a> by Coral Gables Republican Rep. Demi Busatta to authorize the payment to Lourdes Latour and her husband, Edward, for a 2017 accident in which Miami-Dade accepted liability.<\/p>\n All but one lawmaker \u2014 Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz \u2014 supported the legislation, which Sarasota Republican Sen. Joe Gruters carried in the Senate<\/a>.<\/p>\n HB 6515 is a claims bill<\/a>, a special classification of legislation intended to compensate a person or entity for injury or loss due to the negligence or error of a public officer or agency.<\/p>\n Claims bills arise when the damages a claimant seeks are above the thresholds set in Florida\u2019s\u00a0sovereign immunity<\/a>\u00a0law, which today caps payouts at $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident.<\/p>\n On Nov. 5, 2017, Latour was struck and thrown from her bicycle by a malfunctioning gate arm while exiting the Gables by the Sea community. She and her husband sued Miami-Dade in 2018, claiming the county was negligent in owning, operating and maintaining the gate.<\/p>\n A jury found Miami-Dade 100% liable in January 2025, awarding the couple\u00a0more than $4.9 million<\/a>\u00a0in damages for long-term pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, loss of companionship and service.<\/p>\n Because of Florida\u2019s liability limits for government entities, the parties ultimately settled for $800,000, with $300,000 paid directly by the county under Florida\u2019s restrictive law and $500,000 contingent on approval of a claims bill.<\/p>\n State lawmakers in March approved raising the payout caps<\/a> to $500,000 per person and $1 million per incident. DeSantis has since received the measure, sponsored<\/a> by Sarasota Republican Rep. Fiona McFarland, though it remains to be seen<\/a> if the Governor signs or vetoes it.<\/p>\n HB 6515 was among 15 bills DeSantis signed Thursday and became effective upon receiving the Governor\u2019s autograph.<\/p>\n