CHICAGO — An Illinois attorney is facing a lawsuit by a former client who claims he dismissed her workers' compensation claim without her consent.
In a suit filed Oct. 16 in Cook County Circuit Court, plaintiff Maria Garcia alleges negligence and professional legal malpractice against defendant Michael Conrad, of Conrad & Associates.
"As a direct and proximate result of Conrad's careless and negligent acts or omissions, the plaintiff was denied her right to workers’ compensation benefits," the lawsuit states. "But for Conrad’s careless and negligent acts or omissions, the plaintiff would have received her workers’ compensation benefits."
Garcia was employed at La Touraine when she suffered an injury. She hired Conrad to handle her workers' compensation claim and alleges that without her knowledge, he "caused the case to be dismissed with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission."
Garcia continued to seek treatment for her injury with the understanding that her case was still active when the statute of limitations had expired.
Garcia seeks damages, plus interest and costs. She is represented by George Chepov, of Chepov & Scott LLC.