Two sue auto auction over golf cart wreck

CHARLESTON -- Two men say they were fired for filing workers' compensation claims related to injuries from an on-the-job golf cart wreck.

William Frank Aliff and Danny Burgess Jr. filed identical lawsuits July 7 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Capital City Auto Auction.

The plaintiffs claim that the company had a golf cart employees would use to travel around the premises. The lawsuit says the golf cart wasn't properly maintained or was otherwise altered so it accelarated to a high rate of speed without warning.

The plaintiffs say this occured on June 27, 2008 when they were riding in the cart, causing it to flip over.

According to the complaints, each filed claims for workers' compensation related to the wreck and were fired in retaliation on July 7, 2008.

They're seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Scott H. Kaminski is representing the plaintiffs. The cases are before Kanawha circuit judges Tod Kaufman and Paul Zakaib.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 09-C-1220 and 09-C-1221