Date: Fri 07-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: LIBRAR

Quick Words:

insurance-Spragg-attorneys

Full Text:

Town Insurance Premiums Drop Despite Lawsuits

BY STEVE BIGHAM

In the weeks following the October accident in Dodgingtown that took the life

of truck driver David Wagenblas, the family of the victim filed several

lawsuits.

Because it was a state road, the Wagenblas estate filed a lawsuit against the

state's Department of Transportation. The town of Newtown, however, was also

sued.

Currently, there are nearly 30 suits against the Town of Newtown filed in the

town clerk's office. They range from land use suits to claims filed by a

plaintiff who was injured at Dickinson Town Park. Despite all the suits,

Finance Director Ben Spragg reports that the town's liability insurance

premiums have dropped this past year.

Mr Spragg said any suits seeking money are handled by the town's insurance

company. However, land use lawsuits, which are usually filed by developers who

have had their applications turned down, are handled by Town Attorney David

Grogins of the law firm Cohen & Wolfe, who was retained by the town last year

at a cost of nearly $200,000.

The following is a list of claimants who have pending lawsuits against the

town:

David Wagenblas, M&E Land Group, Deborah Schneider, Jonathan and Geraldine

Krecidio, Eric Mark Svenson, Cornerstone of Eagle Hill, Inc, Richard Davis (on

behalf of Alicia Davis), Gina Grassi, John Stefanko, PSD Partnership, M&F Inc,

Bethany Ann Hinckley, Sheila Josephson, Pelligrino and Barbara Pisacreta,

Local Union 3153, AFL-CIO, Newtown Country Club Realty, Robert and Siobhan

Deveney, Robert Hickson, Gregory and Julie Iwanicki, Gary Marinelli, and

Walnut Tree Developers.