CHARLESTON - A Kanawha County man has filed a suit against a local car dealership after he was fired while off work for an injury he sustained on the job.
Christopher Vance filed a suit July 25 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Turnpike Ford Inc.
Vance was employed in the body shop of Turnpike Ford, located in Marmet. According to the suit, he fell and suffered a knee injury while at work May 15, 2007. The injury included a laceration and severe contusion.
According to the suit, Vance went to the Emergency Room where his knee was placed in an immobilizer and he was referred to an orthopedic specialist. Vance claims he was ordered off work and filed for workers' compensation.
On June 8, 2007, Vance returned to Turnpike to exchange paperwork when he learned he had been fired, but claims his supervisor would not tell him why.
According to the suit, Vance believes his work history was positive, and that he was on his way to another promotion before he was injured. He claims Turnpike acted in bad faith by firing him "solely as a result of his filing a workers' compensation claim," the suit says.
Vance seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Attorney James R. Akers is representing Vance. The case has been assigned to Judge Charles King.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-1531
Man says car dealer fired him over work injury
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