A Cook County man is suing his former employer, alleging unlawful retaliatory discharge in the loss of his job.
Tony Campbell filed a complaint June 10 in Cook County Circuit Court against MV Transportation Inc. of Alsip, alleging his employer was in violation of regulations when it terminated him in March.
According to the complaint, on Dec. 29, 2003, Campbell was hired as a paratransit driver by the defendant to escort disabled individuals in a Pace van. When he transported an elderly woman March 10, another vehicle entered the road from a parking lot and struck the van on Ashland Avenue in Calumet Park, the suit says.
The lawsuit states: Campbell had no warning of the impending collision; his van displays evidence of the impact on its left rear exterior panel; and he and his passenger were taken to the hospital via ambulance, after which Campbell was picked up, escorted by a supervisor to a physician, and given a drug and alcohol test, both of which were negative.
After completing an accident report, the suits states Campbell's manager offered a workers’ compensation application. When Campbell reported to work March 12, with the intention to file the claim, the suit states, he was asked to sign a disciplinary document, view video footage of the accident and was treated with skepticism about his purported injuries.
Campbell maintains MV Transportation put him on disciplinary notice and unlawfully terminated him March 13. The suit says the plaintiff was fired in retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim. The suit says the plaintiff lost wages, benefits and opportunities, and suffered emotional distress.
Campbell seeks damages in excess of $200,000, attorney fees and costs. He is represented by attorney Patrick Walsh of the Walsh Group in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L0005887.