title
EVELYN WELCOME VS. CITY OF GAINESVILLE, AND JAMES N. MCCOLLUM, COURT CASE NO. 2012-CA-3445 (B)
recommendation
The City Commission authorize the City Attorney to represent the City in the case styled Evelyn Welcome vs. City of Gainesville, and James N. McCollum, Court Case No. 2012-CA-3445.
explanation
On August 17, 2012, Plaintiff Evelyn Welcome filed a Complaint in the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, in and for Alachua County, Florida against James N. McCollum, a GPD Officer. On December 26, 2013, Plaintiff Evelyn Welcome filed a Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint to Add City of Gainesville and Other Issues. Subsequently, the Court granted Plaintiff's Motion on January 8, 2014. As of the date of drafting this agenda item, the City has not been served, but the City anticipates service of process to be made on the City at any time. Evelyn Welcome alleges that she was involved in an automobile accident with a City vehicle on March 12, 2010 on US Highway 441, in Alachua. At the time of the accident, it is believed that the City employee was driving a City-owned take home vehicle on his way to work. She claims to have sustained bodily injury, resulting pain and suffering in the past and the future; disfigurement and significant scarring, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, loss of wages, loss of ability to earn wages in the future, medical expenses in the past and the future including, but not limited to, the cost of hospitalization, medical and surgical treatment, nursing care and palliative care, mental anguish in the past and the future and aggravation of pre-existing conditions. Ms. Welcome seeks money damages in excess of $15,000.00.