A Skokie man is suing a Lombard restaurant and one of its former employees who had allegedly used the man's Social Security number to get a job.
Dimitar Petrounov, of Skokie, filed a lawsuit July 16 in Cook County Circuit Court against Greek Islands West Inc., doing business as Greek Islands West, and Zarate Doe, alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, in March, Petrounov applied for state benefits and discovered that he wouldn't be eligible. This is when he learned that Doe, employed by Greek Islands Restaurant West, was using the plaintiff's Social Security number, the suit says.
The lawsuit states the plaintiff's business failed to verify that Doe's name matched his Social Security card, did not verify the personal information provided by Doe, allowed Doe to keep working there when it should have known he was using a fake card, and report his wages earned. The suit says Doe stole the plaintiff's personal data.
As a result, the suit states, Petrounov sustained "permanent injuries and damages, including extreme anxiety, highly elevated blood pressure, damage to his credit score, and the loss of eligibility for subsidies that he would otherwise be eligible for from the state."
The plaintiff alleges negligence and trespass to chattels, respondeat superior and violating the Right to Publicity Act.
Petrounov, seeks damages of more than $250,000, plus costs. He is represented by attorney Ivo Tchernev of the Law Offices of Jacobson and Tchernev in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L007278.