Nov

8

Family sues to get school records

Filed Under Settlements, Miami-Dade | Leave a Comment

The Miami-Dade School Board has to turn over its school security records as part of a lawsuit filed this week by the parents of a boy stabbed to death in a school bathroom in 2004, according to a story on CBS4.com.

Greg Schwartz, attorney for the parents of Jamie Gough, says the school board has 48 hours to turn the records over to a special master, the story said.

The parents reached a $1.7 million settlement with the school board in 2005 and have been paid $200,000 from the district and $500,000 from the board’s insurer. They need the records to get the rest of the money from the Legislature through a special claims bill, according to the CBS report.

Nov

7

Police-shooting settlement in danger

Filed Under Palm Beach, Settlements | Leave a Comment

A $1 million settlement between Delray Beach and the family of a teen shot and killed by a rookie police officer may fall apart because the dead boy’s biological father has refused to sign off on it, according to a story in The Palm Beach Post.

But Patrick Cousins, attorney for Terry Glover who stepped forward after the shooting to say he was Jerrod Miller’s biological father, called the settlement offer an insult, according to the Post.

“Put the corks back in the bottle and take the party hats off, because it’s not over yet,” Cousins said.

Stuart attorney Willie Gary is representing the plaintiffs.

Nov

1

Bus drivers settle class-action suit

Filed Under Class-action, Palm Beach, Settlements, U.S. District Court | Leave a Comment

Palm Beach County bus drivers will get $1.3 million to settle their federal class-action suit against the school district, according to a story in the Sun-Sentinel.

The suit claimed that the 900 drivers and attendants did not receive overtime, despite working more than 40 hours per week.

The drivers, who were represented by the Shavitz Law Group of Boca Raton, will get between $1,200 and $1,300 each.

Oct

26

CVB settles suit

Filed Under Palm Beach, Settlements | Leave a Comment

The national accounting firm McGladrey & Pullen and The Hartford insurance company have agreed to pay $710,000 to the Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau to settle a claim involving an employee who stole $1.6 million to cover her online gambling habit, according to a story in The Palm Beach Post.

The bureau had already received $250,000 from an earlier settlement with another insurance company.

Oct

23

State settles abuse case for $10 million

Filed Under Palm Beach, Settlements | Leave a Comment

The state has agreed to pay a former Boynton Beach couple $10 million to settle a suit that accused the state of not telling them that the three boys they adopted had been severally abused and traumatized while under state care, according to a story in the Palm Beach Post.

The family’s attorney, Lance Block, told The Post that the settlement was fair.

Had this case been a private entity, it would have settled for many millions more. On the other hand, I have been trying cases against the state of Florida for 23 years, and I never thought I would see the day that the Department of Children and Families would try to get cases settled that should be settled.

The Legislature must still approve the settlement but the family will receive $500,000 upfront, which is the maximum they can receive under the state’s sovereign immunity.

Oct

18

Family of dead teen settles suit

Filed Under Settlements, Broward | Leave a Comment

When 15-year-old Edwin Gordon collapsed during a youth football game, none of the league officials there had any medical training to deal with the emergency.

On Thursday, the family of the teen announced a settlement with the South Florida Youth Football League. Jamie Finizio, the family’s attorney, told CBS4 that she hopes the case will lead to changes in the way the league handles future emergencies.

Oct

16

Ex-BCC prof settles suit

Filed Under Settlements, Broward | Leave a Comment

A former religion professor at Broward Community College has settled his discrimination lawsuit against the college for $250,000. James W. Johnson had claimed that his Catholic faith made him an outcast after an evangelical Protestant took charge of BCC’s Religion Department.

BCC’s Board of Trustees approved the settlement last week. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel the college will pay $50,000 to Johnson and its insurance company will cover the rest.