CLEARWATER, Fla. – A Senate Republican filed a bill on Friday proposing that the city of Clearwater pay over $17.4 million to a tourist who sustained life-altering injuries in 2019 after being struck by a sport-utility vehicle.
Sen. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, introduced the proposal (SB 98) ahead of the 2025 legislative session, which begins in March. The bill seeks to compensate Max Giannikos, who was visiting Clearwater with his family from South Africa when the accident occurred.
The bill outlines that Giannikos, then 16, was attempting to cross the intersection of Gulf to Bay Boulevard and U.S. 19 with his sister and brother-in-law when the incident happened.
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A malfunctioning pedestrian walk button reportedly forced the family to wait 30 to 45 minutes before attempting to cross the busy roadway. During the attempt, Giannikos was struck by an oncoming SUV.
As a result of the collision, Giannikos suffered catastrophic injuries, including brain damage and multiple fractures. He spent more than a month in the hospital, 11 days of which he was in a coma.
Giannikos filed a negligence lawsuit against the city of Clearwater, alleging failure to maintain the pedestrian crossing signals. After a September trial, a jury determined the total damages to be approximately $38.5 million, assigning 45 percent of the negligence to the city. A judge subsequently entered a final judgment against Clearwater for $17.32 million.
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The proposed bill seeks to cover that amount, along with an additional $100,000 in costs.
Florida’s sovereign-immunity laws typically shield government agencies from paying more than $200,000 to individuals in injury lawsuits. However, the Legislature can bypass this cap by passing a “claim bill” like the one Sen. Truenow has filed. If approved, it would direct Clearwater to pay the larger amount.
The proposal will be reviewed during the upcoming legislative session. Claim bills often draw significant debate, balancing individual compensation with concerns about setting financial precedents for government agencies.
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