Man wins millions from county, may take years to collect

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County has just reached a multi-million dollar settlement over a motorcycle crash that caused a man to lose his leg.

Robert Smith may get $3 million from the county, but it might take some time to collect.

Smith served in the Army, and was an avid motorcycle rider, until he was hit by an Orange County worker in 2006.

"My leg was shattered, it has 18 pins, two titanium plates. My pelvis has a bolt through it," Smith said in an earlier interview with WFTV.

Smith's right leg was amputated.

Orange County maintenance worker Lynn Godden ran a stop sign and knocked Smith from his motorcycle at the intersection of Depauw Avenue and East Orlando Street, near College Park. The maintenance worker was ticketed for running the stop sign.

During the trial, Godden said that he couldn't see the stop sign because it was blocked by bushes.

County attorneys argued that Smith was partially responsible because he was speeding. That's why Smith can only get $3 million of the $4.8 million the jury said he deserved.

In order to get that money he'll have to go through the state legislature, because the county is protected by sovereign immunity, which caps a jury award at $200,000.

"If he is partially responsible, why should he get anything?" WFTV reporter Daralene Jones asked attorney David Moffett.

"He had a really, really, promising career, bright man. And this was all taken away from him in just the wink of an eye, by someone who pulled out from a stop sign, right in his path," said Moffett

Moffett acknowledged that it could take up to four years to get the money. He said he has to get a claims bill through the legislature, and it has to be signed by the Governor.

WFTV