Former employee sues Verizon for wrongful termination

CHARLESTON -- A former employee is suing Verizon after she claims her employment was wrongfully terminated because of her disability.

Donald Cunningham was also named as a defendant in the suit.

On April 26, 1999, Barbara Carr began working for Verizon's predecessor as a consultant, according to a complaint filed Aug. 11 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

In 2004, Carr claims she was involved in a serious car accident and was forced to downgrade to a general clerk and in March 2004 she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which made it difficult to arrive to work on time each day.

On Sept. 19, 2006, and on Jan. 22, 2008, Carr was involved in two other car accidents and missed work for a prolonged period of time, according to the suit.

By October 2008, Carr claims she was unable to walk without the aid of crutches as a result of her injuries, but was still able to perform the essential functions of her job.

Despite the fact that Carr had to miss work on occasion due to her injuries and fibromyalgia, the defendants continued to advance her through the various disciplinary steps of their attendance policy and on June 15, 2009, terminated Carr's employment, according to the suit.

Carr is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Lonnie C. Simmons and Heather M. Langeland.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Charles King.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1441