Victims of gun violence and their families oppose new state tort reform bills

LAKE MIAMI, FL. (WSVN) — Victims and family members of victims of gun violence have come together to speak out against bills they believe will weaken Florida’s public safety.

Crime victim advocates joined more than a dozen South Florida residents who became victims of crime and violence in the Miami Lakes on Thursday.

“When victims come to me and ask for help in the civil justice system, no one has ever mentioned money, no one has ever mentioned getting a huge jury verdict. They come to me and say, “I want to make change,” said the crime victim advocate.

We are talking about a new package of state bills aimed at tort reform. Those attending the press conference gathered outside the office of one of the bill’s sponsors, Florida Rep. Tom Fabrizio, to make their voices heard.

Victims of gun violence who attended the press conference said that sometimes a civil suit is the only way to move forward after they have been victims.

“If an arsonist and a criminal come and set the building on fire, obviously he is the one who set fire to the building, but if the building is not prepared – it does not have a sprinkler system, security, security – they Then we also have some negligence,” the speaker said at a press conference. — and the right that we as citizens have to challenge it in a civil court is a right that we have.”

Families believe that passing the Fabrizio-sponsored bill will lead to an increase in crime, as there will be less incentive for businesses to invest in security. It is argued that this would deprive the victims of the means to help them move forward after the crime, essentially making them victims again.

The legislation will limit the amount that insurance companies pay out in damages and limit, among other things, what civil juries can hear about an injured person’s medical expenses.

“Victims incur costs whenever a crime is committed against them,” said a lawyer for crime victims.

Victims say these laws are important to keep businesses vigilant.

The Dukes of Romania, with mothers fighting for justice, said the apartment complex was not properly secure when she lost her son.

“My son DeMichael Dukes was shot dead by a stray bullet in an apartment complex just visiting a family member,” she said. “The cameras weren’t even working at the time my son was killed.”

Edwin Pata said his brother Brian was shot and killed in an apartment complex in 2006. He told what the financial settlement did for his family.

“What it did for us was that Brian left something because he played football. This crazy violent football that we play, he played it to help his family and his mom,” he said, “and so this lawsuit left something for my mom.”

Florida’s regular legislative session begins next week.

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