CHARLESTON — A woman is suing St. Albans Operating Company for her wrongful termination.
Beverly Enterprises-West Virginia, Riverside Health and Rehabilitation, Janice L. Walker and Cristee L. Hatfield were also named as defendants in the suit
Martha J. Sansom was previously employed at Riverside Center from November 2018 until September 2019 when she was involved in a serious car accident and had a traumatic brain injury and was disabled for some time, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Sansom claims on June 3, 2021, he had recovered enough to return to the workforce and returned to work at Riverside Center.
The plaintiff observed other members of the nursing staff engaging in a practice known as "pre-pouring," wherein the day shift workers would "pre-pour" medications ahead of time for all or multiple residents at once and she was also asked to engage in the process, which she refused to do, according to the suit.
Sansom claims she made a report to Hatfield on Sept. 27, 2021, regarding narcotic drugs being left out and unattended by an LPN supervised by Walker. She also reported the neglect of a resident that same evening.
On her next day of work, Walker harassed Sansom and a CNA screamed at her, according to the suit.
Sansom claims when she asked to leave less than an hour before her shift was over because she was suffering from a headache brought on by the screaming, she was told if she left she would be fired.
Sansom claims she was then terminated from her employment for leaving.
Sansom is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Michael P. Addair and Kurt E. Entsminger of Addair Entsminger in Charleston.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 23-C-765
