BELLEVILLE – Suspended attorney Jason Caraway, of Belleville, is being sued by a former client for allegedly settling her workplace injury suit for less than the worker's compensation award, failing to inform her, and then allegedly absconding with the funds.
Plaintiff Sherri Kaleff filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Caraway, citing negligence and fraud.
According to the lawsuit, Kaleff suffered a workplace injury on Sept. 4, 2015, and retained the services of Caraway to represent her on her worker's compensation claim against her employer.
According to Kaleff, on June 29, 2022, she was awarded $133,100,17 in damages. However, Kaleff claims Caraway settled the case for only $38,025.65, an amount far less than what was offered by the commission. According to the lawsuit, Kaleff negligently failed to inform her of the amount he was settling for and the reason why he was accepting less than the awarded amount. Additionally, by settling for less than the amount offered by the commission, this decision is unlikely to be overturned, and Kaleff will be unable to appeal or reopen her case, the suit states.
Kaleff claims that after settling, Caraway arranged for the award to be paid directly to his office but denied receiving the funds. She claims that he has since failed to distribute the funds to her or use the funds to pay for her medical expenses. The lawsuit states that Kaleff contacted Caraway's law office to learn that he had abandoned the office on Jan. 26, 2023. She claims she also learned that Caraway had received and misappropriated her settlement funds.
Kaleff states that, as a result of the defendant's actions, she has suffered financial harm and hardship. She claims she has been unable to meet her financial obligations and has incurred significant financial debt.
The plaintiff is seeking more than $50,000 for damages, emotional suffering, and any other relief the court deems proper. She is represented in this case by attorney Eric Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick Law Offices, P.C. in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 23LA1006