BELLEVILLE — An Indiana man is suing East St. Louis attorney David W. Plufka of Keefe & Griffiths PC for $10 million, alleging he failed to properly represent him in a workers' compensation case.
David A. Milan filed a complaint March 5 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Plufka, alleging that the East St. Louis attorney breached his duty to properly represent him in a legal matter he was hired for.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges Dr. David Woods operated on his left foot on July 7, 2010, following a workplace injury.
Milan claims he retained the defendant to handle his worker's compensation claim. In August 2010, he was asked to sign a contract establishing the defendant as his attorney. However, he alleges the contract says he fell in Mt. Vernon, Ill., when his injury did not take place in the state. He also claims the case was assigned two case numbers.
Milan alleges he was ultimately forced to sign an illegal medical contract.
"For seven years I asked for a copy of this contract. But never received a response, or a copy of the contract. Finally on Aug. 1, 2017, David Plufka sent this unlawful contract. Now I know why he did not want any court to see this fraudulent contract.
“In this matter, I will be showing evidence of the cover-up in my claim, to show this court, not only how critical I was (sic). But how this attorney used my pain to cover up his crimes. Not only is there no date of service, case number or signature on this contract. But there’s no date of service on the contract," the complaint states.
Milan also alleges Plufka never disputed information in his favor and tried to make him take a reduced amount of money.
As a result, Milan claims he suffered damages for out-of pocket expenses, medical expenses and lost wages.
The plaintiff seeks damages of $10 million.
He is representing himself pro se.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 18-L-164