Posted on 03/06/2018 8:44:50 AM PST by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies
A 15-year-old Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting survivor and his family have put Broward County authorities on notice that they will sue to seek money damages to help cover the cost of his recovery.
Attorney Alex Arreaza filed the letter on behalf of Anthony Borges, who was shot five times, including in both of his legs.
“These kids at this school were let down at just about every level,” Arreaza said.
The suit, when it is filed, could be the first of many stemming from the tragedy that took 17 lives on Valentines Day. Confessed shooter Nikolas Cruz entered his former school and opened fire with an AR-15, killing 14 students and three faculty members.
The two-page letter was sent Monday to notify various Broward agencies, including the Broward Sheriff’s Office, of the Borges’ intent to sue.
In the letter, Arreaza says more should have been done to protect the students and teachers.
“The failure of Broward County Public Schools and of the Principal and School Resource officer to adequately protect students, and in particular our client, from life-threatening harm were unreasonable, callous and negligent,” he wrote in the letter. “Such action or inaction led to the personal injuries sustained by my client.”
Arreaza told the Herald that there was a breakdown on every level.
A 15-year-old Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor and his parents have put Broward County on notice that they intend to sue to seek financial help toward the boy’s recovery. David Santiago/File photo dsantiago@miamiherald.com “They were failed by the school; they were failed by [the Broward Sheriff’s Office]; they were failed by the people who had knowledge of this going on,” Arreaza said.
Arreaza said it was “by the grace of God” that the teen, who is still recovering at Broward General Medical Center, survived his injuries.
“Due to his condition, Mr. Borges is currently unable to walk and has a great deal of difficulty performing rudimentary tasks for himself, requiring assistance constantly,” he wrote in the letter.
Parents of Parkland school shooting victims implore Florida legislators to 'take action' He credited the teen for using his Boy Scout lessons to create a tourniquet and stop the bleeding. The soccer player and athlete has already had several surgeries and has a “very long way” to recovery, Arreaza said.
“Unfortunately medical bills can bankrupt a family and it has to be addressed,” he said. “There could have been a lot more done to prevent this tragedy.”
This may become a class action lawsuit on behalf of all those adversely affected.
Sue the Police Union pension fund.
This is primed for cash settlements; however, I’d really love to see someone have a case that takes it through discovery. A good judge won’t let the Broward crooks hide anything.
The USSC has put those who probably failed worst beyond suing.
Any civic action needs to be political: “vote the bums out.”
Bookmarked.
If the vics and their loved ones care more about justice than money, they won’t settle.
This was a colossal failure in every direction. Cruz was doing everything but standing down on Parkland Blvd waving a machete while holding a sign saying, "I'm going to kill you all".
You mean they aren’t suing the weapon’s manufacturer?..................
WHAT? They ARE NOT going to sue the NRA? /sarc
It’s pretty plain that the fish rotted from the head. Hard to believe that three or four deputies take position outside a school and listen to the carnage going on within, and all of them stay in place doing nothing unless their training and orders strictly required it.I don’t assume the union did that.
The Sheriff’s Department should forever be referred to as “The Broward Cowards”
Good luck with that.
USSC has already ruled “to protect and serve” is not part of the job.
WASHINGTON, June 27 (2005) - The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the police did not have a constitutional duty to protect a person from harm, even a woman who had obtained a court-issued protective order against a violent husband making an arrest mandatory for a violation.
I thought all the high government muckity mucks said all the expenses for all of the victims will be paid for? This lawsuit will just be for straight up damages, pain, and suffering.
Good. I’ve been posting the disaster discipline policy that the BCSB and BCSO, among many others, signed off on, since nearly Day One of this event, and saying that it would feature prominently in any lawsuit. I am about to be proven correct.
No duty to protect is very different from a stated policy of not enforcing the law.
Broward County, etc. and the Broward County Democrat Party should be sued for every penny they have. The American people now know and believe that just about about every Democrat public servant in the employ of Broward County, Florida and the Federal Government FBI were directly responsible for these horrid slaughters by an Obamabot/Clintonite Democrat, nutcase, Nikolas Cruz, that Broward County let loose, even though they all knew he was a killer of children in the making.
Yup, I love this. In 2005 the SCOTUS had ALREADY RULED in Castle Rock v Gonzalez that the POLICE have NO LEGAL OBLIGATION to PROTECT PRIVATE CITIZENS! Even when notified! (Even after they disarm us!)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/justices-rule-police-do-not-have-a-constitutional-duty-to-protect.html
...yet somehow the schools and other gun free zones have NO RESPONSIBILITY for the safety of those they disarm and require to be there. This needs to get tested in court.
I am sure that Broward will settle to avoid discovery
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