Woman Sues Car Dealership for Firing Her in Retaliation for Workers’ Compensation Claim

Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) September 4, 2019 – A former employee of a car dealership in Highland, Illinois, sued her employer alleging she was wrongfully terminated for considering the possibility of filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Chelsea Marinacci said she was fired from her job at Tri Ford Inc. after telling workplace superiors about her carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis. She filed the lawsuit against the company in Madison County Circuit Court.

Marinacci went to see a doctor after feeling pain in her wrist. The doctor diagnosed her with carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a type of repetitive stress injury that occurs due to repeated hand and lower arm movement. Marinacci reported the diagnosis to her superiors at the dealership and suggested filing a workers’ compensation claim for her apparent work injury.

“Illinois law requires employers to provide workers’ compensation benefits to employees who get hurt in the workplace,” commented Paul Greenberg, a personal injury attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, who is not involved with the case. “Employees are often worried that filing a workers’ compensation claim will harm their relationship with their employer. However, it is illegal for employers to fire or otherwise retaliate against their employees for filing such a claim.”

The complaint stated the employer fired Marinacci without giving her a reason for her termination. Tri Ford allegedly made no attempt to “resolve, investigate or administer the workers’ compensation claim.” Instead, the dealership ended her employment just a few days after she reported her injury to them.

According to the lawsuit, Marinacci was surprised by her employer’s “reprehensible” actions. She is seeking in excess of $50,000 in compensatory damages and punitive damages totaling over nine times that amount.

Workers’ compensation provides employees with financial support after a workplace accident. It covers medical bills, lost wages and vocational rehabilitation, among other costs. The process of filing a workers’ compensation claim starts after a worker is injured as employers are required by law to report all workplace injuries.

Learn more at https://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/