Meat worker says job was cut after filing for work comp

A Dupo man says he was wrongly fired from his job at Holten Meat after he filed for worker's compensation.

Charles Anderson filed a lawsuit June 29 in St. Clair Circuit Court against Holten Meat.

Anderson claims he was working on Feb. 25 when he injured his left hand.

"Plaintiff informed Defendant's agent of the injury he sustained," the complaint says. "Plaintiff exercised his rights under the Worker's Compensation Act, 820 ILCS 305/1 et seq., and began seeking medical treatment that same day."

However, Holten Meat fired Anderson from his job because he sought medical treatment and because he pursued a worker's compensation claim, according to the complaint.

Anderson is seeking compensatory damages of more than $50,000, plus unspecified punitive and exemplary damages, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Mark C. Scoggins, Clay B. St. Clair and Anthony P. Gilbreth of Crowder and Scoggins in Columbia will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-346.