Maryville Manor worker claims retaliatory discharge

A Madison County woman has filed suit against her former employee, claiming she was fired after reporting alleged neglect of patients at a nursing home.

Veronica Bradford claims she worked for defendant Unlimited Development doing business as Maryville Manor, which is a nursing home for the mentally and physically handicapped.

While working, Bradford noticed potential neglect of patients, according to the complaint filed Aug. 23 in Madison County Circuit Court.

For example, she noticed nursing home staff attempting to conceal an investigation into the escape of a patient who later died, the suit states.

In addition, she saw no employees attempt to help a patient with breathing difficulties, the complaint says. The patient later died, Bradford claims.

Finally, Bradford noted that employees failed to properly care for patients at the home, according to her complaint.

When she noticed the alleged neglect, Bradford approached her supervisors about it, the suit states. Shortly thereafter, Bradford lost her job on Jan. 20, 2010, the complaint says.

"At all relevant times, there existed a clear mandate of Illinois Public Policy prohibiting discharge from employment for reporting an employer's violations of statutes, including, as in this case, the violations of the Nursing Home Care Act," the suit states.

Because of her termination, Bradford claims she lost wages and benefits and experienced pain and suffering.

She seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

She will be represented by Michael J. Brunton and Mary M. Stewart of Brunton Law Offices in Collinsville.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-840.