nicsuesmarc.jpg Nicollette Sheridan filed a lawsuit against her former Desperate Housewives boss Marc Cherry today, claiming he physically abused her on set, among other allegations.

Sheridan is asking for $20 million in damages, and in the lawsuit the actress alleges assault and battery, gender violence and wrongful termination. Sheridan claims Cherry, "took her aside and forcefully hit her with his hand across her face and head" in September of 2008, and when she reported the incident to ABC, the network refused to take action. The suit also claims that when Cherry learned that Sheridan's co-star Teri Hatcher had complained to the studio as well, he said, “I hope [she] gets hit by a car and dies.”

A rep for ABC Studios released the following statement: “While we have yet to see the actual complaint, we investigated similar claims made by Ms. Sheridan last year and found them to be without merit.”