Touchette Regional accused of firing worker over work comp claim

A man has filed suit against the hospital that he claims fired him after he sustained a work-related injury.

Roger Womack claims he was working at defendant Touchette Regional Hospital on June 9 when he suffered the alleged, unspecified injury.

On June 20, a physician treated Womack for the injury and placed him on light duty restrictions, according to the complaint filed Aug. 22 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. However, when Womack attempted to return to work, he was told there was no work available for him and was sent home, the suit states.

Touchette never provided Womack with an opportunity to work and dismissed him on Aug. 10 after Womak made a workers' compensation claim, the complaint says.

"Defendant Touchette knowingly fired Plaintiff Womack to punish him for filing a worker's compensation claim and to deter other employees from filing such claims in the future," the suit states.

Because of his termination, Womack claims he lost earnings, suffered a damaged reputation and sustained damage to his future employability.

In his two-count complaint, Womack is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs and other damages the court deems just.

Womack will be represented by Chris Kolker of Kolker Law Offices in Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-468.