Florida Supreme Court ruling could save JTA millions

From Larry Hannan:

The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that a Jacksonville Transportation Authority bus driver cannot be an individual defendant in a lawsuit filed by a woman who was hit by his bus in 2005.

And this decision could save the JTA millions of dollars now and in the future.

Overturning earlier court decisions in the case, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday that JTA bus drivers are state employees, even though they don?t work directly for the state agency.

And therefore they are protected by ?sovereign immunity,? just like the JTA.

Under state law, the most that a plaintiff can collect from JTA, without action by the Legislature, is $200,000. Had the driver remained as a defendant, the plaintiff could have collected millions if she wins the suit.

The case reached the Supreme Court after Circuit Judge Lance Day had ruled JTA bus drivers are not state employees, a ruling the 1st District Court of Appeal upheld.

But the Supreme Court unanimously rejected that argument, saying there was no substantial difference between JTA and the nonprofit that runs the bus service for the authority since JTA controls it.

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Source: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2012-11-16/florida-supreme-court-ruling-could-save-jta-millions

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