WINFIELD – A Milton man is suing his former employers, claiming the companies unlawfully terminated him after being injured on the job.
Andrian Sowards filed a lawsuit Aug. 19 in Putnam Circuit Court against Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia Inc. and Manpower of WV Inc., citing violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to the lawsuit, Sowards injured his rotator cuff while at his place of work at 1 Sugar Maple Lane, Buffalo, on April 12. The complaint states that Sowards sought medical attention and was placed on a lifting restriction by his physician. Sowards alleges the defendants ignored these restrictions and one month later fired Sowards claiming he violated "workplace violence" policy.
Sowards claims his rights were violated by this unlawful termination and is seeking back wages, liquidated damages, front pay, costs of litigation, including court costs and attorneys' fees, as well as any other remedies allowed by FMLA. Sowards is represented by Hoyt Glazer, Ben Sheridan and Mitchell L. Klein, of Klein, Sheridan, & Glazer in Huntington. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Joseph Reeder.
Putnam County Circuit Court case number 15-C-205