EDWARDSVILLE -- A former employee of a car dealership alleges she was fired after suggesting the possibility of filing a workers' compensation claim, according to a lawsuit filed July 25 in Madison County Circuit Court against Tri Ford Inc.
Chelsea Marinacci alleges she was terminated from her job at Tri Ford in Highland after being diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Tri Ford did not immediately return a call from the Record asking for comment.
The plaintiff states she began experiencing pain in her wrist and went to a doctor for an examination. The suit alleges Marinacci was diagnosed with carpal tunnel, which is often caused by repetitive use of the hand and lower arm, which can lead to pain and numbness.
When Marinacci reported her diagnosis to Tri Ford, and indicated she might file a workers' compensation claim for a probable work injury, she said she was surprised by what the suit describes as the "reprehensible" behavior of her employer.
"Instead of trying to resolve, investigate or administer the workers' compensation claim they were just advised of, Tri Ford, within less than a week, advised plaintiff that she was terminated, [in July]" the complaint states. No reason was given at the time of termination, and no papers related to said termination were provided to the plaintiff."
Marinacci seeks more than $50,000 in compensatory damages and more than nine times that in punitive damages. She is represented by attorney Thomas Maag of the Maag Law Firm in Wood River
Madison County Court Circuit Court case number 2019-L-1041