Employee sues after vehicle plows into office building

Any white-collar American employee will admit most days at the office are routine and uneventful. However, Mary Nixon's work day went from mundane to extraordinary after an out-of-control motorist came plowing into her building.

Nixon claims the car hit her and has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the vehicle's driver, Randy Whitaker Jr., in the Jefferson County District Court on Jan. 9.

According to the plaintiff's original petition, on May 26, 2006, Nixon was working in a building in the Nederland area "when suddenly and without warning the vehicle operated by the Defendant Randy Lee Whitaker, Jr. came plowing into the building, hitting the Plaintiff and causing her severe injuries and damages."

The suit does not detail Nixon's injuries or where she worked in Nederland.

The suit does say, however, that Whitaker was negligent for failing to make proper application of his brakes, making an improper application of the gas pedal instead of the brakes, failing to control his speed as he drove through the building and in starting from a stopped position when it could not be done with safety.

"Plaintiff would show the court that as a result of the negligence of the Defendant, the Plaintiff was caused to incur hospital, doctor, and medical expenses in the past and that in reasonable medical probability same will continue in the future," the suit said.

Nixon is also suing for past and future mental anguish, impairment and lost wages.

She is demanding a trial by jury and is represented by attorney Ernest Browne Jr. of the Browne & Browne law firm.

Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th Judicial District, has been assigned to the case.

Case No. D180-997