Ohio University to Pay Burned Student $500K

Ohio University has agreed to pay $500,000 to a student who had an epileptic seizure and fell face-first into a fire during a wilderness trip.

The family of Christopher Mance of South Easton, Mass., in suburban Boston, had sued the school for $3.2 million in damages. Rob Miller, Mance’s Columbus lawyer, says the case was settled for less because his client is now able to work, despite his disfigurement. Burns destroyed most of Mance’s nose and parts of both ears.

The agreement reached Friday must be approved by an Ohio Court of Claims judge. An OU spokeswoman says the university does not admit liability or wrongdoing.

The lawsuit claimed the school was negligent in sending Mance out on solo wilderness survival training despite his history of epilepsy.