Physical therapy company faces wrongful termination claim

A former employee of a physical therapy company is suing on claims of wrongful termination.

Rita Saro filed a lawsuit Aug. 22 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Athletic & Therapeutic Institute of Naperville LLC doing business as ATI Physical Therapy.

According to the complaint, Saro was hired in 2013 and sustained an injury to her lower back and legs on Jan. 28, 2013. She claims she filed for workers’ compensation benefits on March 26, 2013, and was released to return to work May 16, 2013.

Saro alleges she was given the options of returning to part-time work with the loss of benefits or full-time work with the requirement of traveling to two locations, which would have violated her doctor’s orders.

After she refused those options, the suit states Saro returned to work and was released to full duty by the company’s independent medical examiner. Her employer monitored her while her treatment and workers’ compensation case continued and was then terminated from her position on Aug. 22, 2013.

Saro is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 and any other relief the court sees fit. She is represented by the attorneys at the Law Offices of Nicholas C. Syregelas in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L008812.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Cook County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.