Switch to ADA Accessible Theme Close Menu
Florida Personal Injury Lawyers
$3,830,000

Catastrophic motorcycle accident resulted in a jury verdict.

$1,748,000

Auto accident, multi-car crash

$1,035,000

Auto accident involving defective airbag

$600,000

Death resulting from hospital turning away patient

$550,000

Auto accident involving tractor trailer

$345,000

Auto accident involving a work vehicle

$340,000

Slip and fall at a hotel bathroom

$115,000

Auto accident involving pedestrian. $115,000 in litigation instead of $15k presuit offer

Call: 844-200-0000
Free Initial Consultation
Do you opt in to being contacted via SMS texting or phone call?
 
protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy - Terms

Potential Lawsuits after Stoneman Douglas Shooting

Legal2

It was an unspeakable tragedy — 17 students and teachers died when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on February 14, and 16 others were injured.

Two injured students recently signaled their intention to sue the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Broward School Board, the FBI and other potentially negligent defendants. The students notified the various defendants of their intent to sue, which is the first step in filing a personal injury lawsuit.

Two of their allegations are that the school resource officer failed to act and that government officials could have prevented the tragedy:

The School Resource Officer

Video footage shows that the police officer assigned to Stoneman Douglas did not enter the building when the gunman started shooting. According to the sheriff’s office, the officer stood outside for “upwards of four minutes” and did nothing to intervene. He was suspended without pay, but ultimately resigned from his position.

The school deputy should have gone in, said Sheriff Scott Israel. “Addressed the killer. Killed the killer.” That inaction could be viable grounds for the students’ personal injury lawsuits.

Gunman’s Behavioral Health Issues

There were numerous warning signs that the shooter, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, was a risk, according to the notice letters. Specifically they say that both the Florida Department of Children and Families and the FBI were aware that Cruz was a threat and did nothing to prevent the mass shooting.

Suing Government Officials in Florida

But the students might have trouble recovering compensation from the allegedly negligent government officials because, generally, sovereign immunity protects government actors from paying large jury awards.

Sovereign immunity is a legal doctrine that prevents government actors from being sued without their consent. State law waives this liability in tort actions (i.e., personal injury claims against the government) but imposes a cap on available damages. The state of Florida and its municipalities can be held liable for up to $200,000 per person and $300,000 per tort claim.

Florida School Safety Bill

Students and other gun safety advocates began lobbying government officials soon after the shooting. The legislature responded by passing a bill that pays school resource officers more money and allows some school employees to be armed (and requires them to go through extensive training). Other provisions include:

  • Raising the minimum age for buying guns in Florida from 18 to 21;
  • Imposing a three-day waiting period for all gun purchases;
  • Banning bump stock; and
  • Stricter measures for gun owners who have mental health issues.

While it’s not clear that this law could have prevented the negligence that allegedly contributed to the Stoneman Douglas shooting, it is a first step toward increasing public safety.

Contact Us Today

Contact a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney at The Pendas Law Firm today for a free consultation if you have been injured in a school-related accident. We will examine the facts of your case and help recover the compensation that you deserve.

The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Tampa, Daytona Beach and Bradenton areas.

Resources:

sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-sb-first-intent-to-sue-marjory-stoneman-douglas-20180305-story.html

tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/03/09/gov-rick-scott-signs-school-safety-gun-control-bill/410671002/

sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-florida-shooting-sro-20180222-story.html

Read What Others Have To Say About Us

  • “I can’t express how much I appreciate this law firm. I had the honor to deal with attorney Daniel. He kept me updated on my case. I couldn’t ask for a better law firm. Daniel fought for me til the end and got me what I deserved. Thanks Daniel and your team for always being there to answer any of my questions. If I ever need a law firm again...”

    Terry Mcphillips
  • “Speedy & superb handling of clients & cases, kind & caring. Highly recommended professionals. They made everything very easy for us, were outgoing & polite. I would call them again if ever in need, rather than call the larger firms that need to advertise & brag about winnings…Pendas was a pleasant & more personal approach instead of...”

    Joseph Kestell
  • “Wow I called Pendas Law Firm the other day at their main intake line it was around 11 o’clock at night and I’ve got this wonderful representative his name was Jeffrey Alvarez. This guy was very professional and his compassion was out of this world I don’t know what I would do if I could not have got a hold of him...”

    Luis Sanchez
  • “Thank you for helping us in our time of need. This firm handled my father’s workers comp case, and helped us with every question we had, and we had a plenty. Thankful for the entire legal team!”

    Enilno Resu
  • “I just concluded a case with attorney Michael Sanchez and paralegal Camilo Lopez. I can only say they are exceptional. The customer service is unique, they have been battling alongside me since day 1. They are not only courteous and professional, but they also are amazing at their job. Thanks to them I got a great deal. I am glad I decided to use their services...”

    Israel Garcia
  • “Their attorneys are absolutely someone you want handling your car accident claim. They communicated with us promptly and thoroughly. I was very happy with our recovery. Already recommended them to others in the same circumstances, their staff speaks Spanish and you feel like in family.”

    Ian Brito
  • “Very Professional law firm. They explained to you every detail what to do according to the laws (worker’s compensation). Mr. Danilo Cruz is the best Lawyer and his team. They are very kind, friendly, responsible, I love this firm. They fight for their clients. AwesomeTeam!”

    Lau Rod