A Belleville woman is suing her former employers for allegedly terminating her following injuries she sustained in a job-site accident.
Judith M. Kocinski filed a lawsuit on Sept. 29 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Vantage Homes of Illinois d/b/a McBride & Son Homes of Illinois d/b/a McBride & Son Homes Illinois d/b/a McBride & Son Homes, McBride & Son Residential of Illinois, and McBride & Son Services Co., alleging retaliatory discharge.
The suit states that Kocinski worked for the defendants as a sales manager selling homes from September 2014 through June 12, 2015.
On Dec. 6, 2014, while acting in the scope of her employment, Kocinski claims she fell while walking down a flight of outdoor steps on McBride's grounds in St. Clair County, suffering a broken right leg and other bodily injuries.
Kocinski filed an Application for Adjustment of Claim with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission on Jan. 27.
Then, on June 12, the suit alleges McBride terminated Kocinski's employment to retaliate against her exercising her rights under the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act.
The suit alleges McBride had no just reason or cause for terminating Kocinski and did not provide her with any reason for termination.
As a result, Kocinski has sustained damages including the loss of income and fringe benefits, inconvenience, pain and suffering, humiliation, loss of a normal life and mental anguish.
Kocinski seeks compensatory and punitive damages of more than $50,000, plus costs of the suit. She is represented by attorney Edward J. Szewczyk of Callis Papa & Szewczyk in Granite City.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-559