Man says Crane 1 Services discriminated against him

CHARLESTON - A man is suing Crane 1 Services Inc. after he claims it discriminated against him because of his disability.

Aaron Murphy and Tom Shupe were also named as defendants in the suit.

In 2003, Donald R. Woods lost part of his left leg in a motorcycle accident and he underwent vocational rehabilitation through Workforce West Virginia in an effort to return to his former occupation, according to a complaint filed Aug. 13 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Woods claims in August 2011, Workforce gave him a lead for a job with Crane and he applied for the job.

On Aug. 15, 2011, Woods had an interview with Murphy and during the interview, Murphy asked about his prosthetic leg and any medications he might be taking, according to the suit.

Woods claims on Aug. 17, 2011, he had a telephone conversation with Murphy and Shupe regarding employment at Crane and the defendants asked him about his vocational rehabilitation, prosthetic leg and any medications he might be taking.

On Aug. 30, 2011, Woods had a telephone conversation about Murphy and, during the conversation, Murphy told Woods that he would not be hired for the job at Crane, according to the suit.

Woods claims the defendants discriminated against him because of his disability.

The defendants violated the West Virginia Human Rights Act and caused Woods to suffer loss of pay, loss of benefits, emotional distress, mental anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, damaged reputation, annoyance and inconvenience, according to the suit.

Woods is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. He is being represented by Douglas V. Atkins of Atkins & Atkins PLLC.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 13-C-1540