OC in Accident Suit

The College has been named in yet another lawsuit, although this one comes with a smaller price tag.

Office of Admissions employee Elizabeth Hicks is suing College groundskeeper David Mull for damages stemming from a car accident they were involved in on January 25, 1999. Hicks stated that while she was driving in the parking lot of Stevenson, Mull ran into her car, injuring and traumatizing her.

The College has also been named in the suit because Mull was a College employee at the time of the accident, and because the incident took place on school grounds.

Hicks is asking for $50,000 and additional monetary coverage of the medical expenses she has incurred as a result of the accident. The language of the complaint was vague, but stated that Hicks was "seriously injured in both mind and body...incurred medical expenses for her care and treatment...experienced pain and suffering...lost wages...and was denied enjoyment of life in the past and will be denied enjoyment of life in the future."

Hicks was unable to be reached for comment.

Hicks' husband Donald was named as a second plaintiff in the suit, which states that "as a direct and proximate result of the negligence of Defendants he was denied the love, services, affection and consortium of [Hicks]...and further anticipates such losses in the future."

Mull seemed disdainful of the charges brought against him by Hicks. "No one was hurt," he said. He was reluctant to comment further based on the litigious nature of the subject.

President Nancy Dye was similarly dismissive of the claims. "It is an utterly frivolous lawsuit," she said. When asked if she felt the College was becoming a frequent target of litigation, she said, "Any institution like ours will be in some ways a target for things like this. But we don't have a large or unusual amount of lawsuits brought against us."

The College has offered the services of their lawyers to Mull. "I am under their liability," he said.