CHICAGO — A Cook County woman says she was fired by her employer, Flats LLC, for exercising her right to file a workers' compensation claim — or in anticipation of her exercise of that right — after suffering on-the-job injuries.
Loraine Jennings filed a lawsuit Jan. 26 in Cook County Circuit Court against Flats LLC, alleging wrongful termination and retaliatory discharge.
According to the complaint, Jennings suffered a facial lump/deformity and injuries to the cartilage, ligaments and bones in her knees during a building inspection on Feb. 24, 2015. In addition, Jennings allegedly crushed her right shoulder, elbow, neck and back while closing a parking lot gate while working for the defendant on Dec. 1, 2015. The suit claims that after reporting the last set of injuries, Flats LLC terminated Jennings on Dec. 2 "in retaliation for her attempt to assert her rights and remedies under the Workers' Compensation Act," according to the language of Jennings' complaint.
Jennings seeks damages in excess of $100,000 for punitive and compensatory damages, plus legal fees. She is represented by attorney Dean J. Caras of Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court Case number 2016-L000830