Airport shuttle bus driver claims he was fired for filing workers' comp claim

A Chicago man is suing his former employer, claiming it terminated him in retaliation for seeking workers' compensation benefits.

James White filed a complaint Nov. 10 in Cook County Circuit Court against Continental Air Transport Co. Inc., a Chicago-based company that provides transportation to individuals to hotels and airports.

According to the complaint, White worked as a driver for the the defendant from March 31 to Sept. 26 and was injured on July 24 as a result of an automobile accident on the job. White says he filed a claim for worker's comp benefits with Continental's insurance provider shortly after the accident and continued to work sporadically between July 24 and Sept. 26.

On Sept. 19, however, White claims he called into a meeting and asked by the company's director of safety and security to withdraw his worker's comp claim. He was then informed on Sept. 26 by a dispatcher he was taken "out of service" until he spoke with the director, who on Sept. 29 again asked to withdraw his worker's comp claim, according to the suit. .

White says he after he refused to withdraw his claim, the defendant took him "out of service" as a driver indefinitely, effectively terminating him on Sept. 29.

He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys fees and costs. He is represented by attorney Shannon D. McDonald of McDonald & Kloth of Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2014L011639.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at Cook County Circuit Court. 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.