Nurse says employer forged complaint against her, fired her

CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County woman is suing over claims she was fired after her employer forged a complaint against her.

Crystal Young filed a lawsuit Aug. 25 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Beverly Enterprises-West Virginia Inc., doing business as Golden Living - Riverdale, Jane Doe and John Doe, citing retaliatory discharge.

According to the complaint, Young was employed by the defendant company for seven years until she reported unethical activity that affected patient well-being that resulted in supervisors scheming to have her dismissed.

Young says the defendants submitted a false complaint/incident form which included a forged written complaint alleged to be from another employee complaining of the plaintiff to the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses.

The complaint states that as a result Young was investigated by the board and when she inquired after the employee who made the complaint, the defendant accused her of retaliatory action and discharged her on Aug. 28, 2013.

The defendant is accused of libel and slander, fraud, negligent and intentional misrepresentation, wrongful and retaliatory discharge, violation of the West Virginia Patient Safety Act, the tort of outrage and breach of contract.

Young is seeking reinstatement, past and future lost wages and benefits, damages and attorneys' fees.

She is being represented in the case by attorney Timothy J. LaFon of Ciccarello, Del Giudice and LaFon in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 14-C-1526