Phlebotomist sues for defamation over claims she was wrongfully accused of identify theft

The executive director of a Chicagoland obstetric and gynecologic practice is being sued over allegations he committed defamation by wrongfully identifying a phelbotomist as the person on a videotape showing identify theft.

Patricia Daleus filed a lawsuit April 2 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Eric Pertzborn, individually and as an agent for The Association for Women's Health Care, citing defamation per se and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

According to the complaint, Daleus was employed as a phlebotomist by Quest Diagnostics on April 5, 2012, and was assigned to work for The Association for Women's Health Care.

In connection with an identify theft investigation, Daleus claims Pertzborn identified her in a videotape and then sent her an email on April 5, 2012, stating she had been terminated as a result of being criminally charged with identify theft.

Daleus, however, asserts in her suit that she was not charged with the crime and that an investigation by her employer, QuestDiagnostics, determined she was not the person on the videotape that Pertzborn had identified as her.

Daleus is seeking damages in excess of the jurisdictional limits and is being represented in the case by attorneys at The Law Office of W. Jason Gatzulis and Curcio Law Office.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L003743.

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