This Just In: Kanawha County

May 2
Kevin Hrtyanski v. Coram, Inc.
PA – Martin R. Smith, Jr.; J – Walker
* Kevin Hrtyanski filed a suit against Coram, where he used to be the regional vice president. He claims he was forced to resign during a major corporate restructuring, therefore he is not eligible to receive a severance package. He claims other employees were fired, and given a severance package, but he was not. Hrtyanski seeks the value of the severance package.
Case number: 07-C-859

Thomas R. Pennington v. Union Carbide Corporation, a subsidiary of the DOW Chemical Company
PA – Michael J. Del Giudice; J – Bloom
* Thomas Pennington filed a suit against Union Carbide, claiming he was not paid for 176 vacation hours. Pennington claimed he was fired after 25 years of service. During that time he accumulated 216 vacation hours, of which he was only paid for 40. He seeks payment for the other 176 hours.
Case number: 07-C-862

Dennis Wheatley v. Planet Tan of Charleston, Inc.
PA – Roger Forman; J – Bloom
*Dennis Wheatley filed a suit against Planet Tan of Charleston, claiming he was seriously burned while laying in one of the salon's tanning beds. Wheatley claims he was told by one of the employees he could lay for up to 20 minutes, but after 10 to 12 minutes he started to feel his skin burn. He went to the hospital and experienced major burning, nausea, vomiting and severe pain. He seeks compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other sufferings.
Case number: 07-C-865

May 9
Harriet N. McCormick v. Charleston Area Medical Center, Suzann Hendricks, R.N.
PA – J. Michael Ranson; J – Bloom
* Harriet McCormick filed a suit against Charleston Area Medical Center General Division, claiming she was fired because she knew about improper billing practices. McCormick was a social worker. She claims she was told she was fired because she wrote in the wrong spot on a patient's chart. She seeks to be rehired, and compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-911

May 10
James Bledsoe and Selena Bledsoe v. Shorest 1451 LLC doing business as Shoney's of Logan, et al
PA – Stephen P. New; J – Kaufman
* James Bledsoe filed a suit against Shoney's after he found a condom in his tea while having dinner with his family. Bledsoe claims he will have to undergo blood test several times a year for the next seven years to be sure he did not contract a communicable disease after drinking a tea with a condom in it. The Bledsoes seek full compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-919