MOUNDSVILLE — A woman is suing West Virginia University (WVU) Hospitals and Reynolds Memorial Hospital claiming she was wrongfully terminated from her employment.
Carol Patterson was employed by the defendants as a secretary in a pediatrics doctor’s office from Sept. 21m 2017, until April 10, 2020, according to a complaint filed in Marshall Circuit Court.
Patterson claims she was wrongfully terminated on April 10, 2020, when the defendants fabricated that she was improperly reviewing the electronic medical chart of a co-worker. She did not commit the act, according to the suit.
When she was accused, Patterson requested proof that she had accessed the file and the defendants refused to provide said proof even though they have the ability to provide documentation of the incident, according to the suit.
Patterson claims the defendants wrongfully terminated her employment because an employer cannot make a false accusation against an employee and then rely on that false accusation as justification for termination of employment.
“Plaintiff denied at the time of her termination that she had committed such an act and demanded proof of wrongdoing from the defendants,” the complaint states. “The defendants fabricated the reason for the plaintiff’s termination and fired her from her employment without any due process whatsoever.”
The termination of the plaintiff’s employment by the defendants was in violation of West Virginia law, according to the suit.
Patterson claims the defendants’ actions were willful, malicious, wanton and intentional. She claims her discharge went against state public policies.
Patterson claims the defendants’ actions caused her to suffer significant and permanent damages.
Patterson is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is represented by David L. Delk Jr. of Grove, Holmstrand & Delk PLLC in Wheeling.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge David Hummel.
Marshall Circuit Court case number: 21-C-114