CHARLESTON — A former employee is suing St. Albans Operating Company for unlawful termination of her employment.
St. Albans Operating Company, Beverly Enterprises-West Virginia Inc., Riverside Health and Rehabilitation LLC, Janice L. Walker and Cristee L. Hatfield were all named as defendants in the suit.
Martha J. Sansom was employed by the defendants as a registered nurse at its Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center nursing home in St. Albans, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Sansom claims she was unlawfully terminated from her employment in retaliation for reporting wrongdoing that was occurring at the facility involving patient safety. She claims her advocacy was for the safety and well-being of the residents.
Sansom claims she made a report on Sept. 27, 2021, to Hatfield regarding a narcotic drug being left out and unattended by an LPN and after making the report, she was harassed by Walker for making the report.
Sansom left work less than an hour before her shift was scheduled to end because she was experiencing health problems and her employment was terminated, according to the suit.
Sansom claims the defendants violated the West Virginia Patient Safety Act and the West Virginia Human Rights Act.
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