Miner says he was fired after time off following injury

BECKLEY – A Raleigh County man is suing over claims he was fired after taking time off work for an injury.

Casey Branham filed a lawsuit Sept. 9 in Raleigh Circuit Court against Pocahontas Coal Company.

According to the complaint, Branham fractured his clavicle in an accident while riding his dirt bike in June 2012, an injury which required time off from his employment as an electrician trainee with the defendant from June 19, 2012 until Aug. 9, 2012.

Branham says at that time, his doctor required him to take six more weeks off work, and when Branham contacted the defendant Sept. 18 to arrange to return to work in two days, the company's human resource officer terminated his employment. The defendant is accused of violating West Virginia Human Rights Act.

Branham is represented by attorneys Todd S. Bailess and Joy B. Mega of Bailess Law Firm in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Robert A. Burnside, Jr.

Raleigh Circuit Court case number 14-C-878