ST. LOUIS — A former driver is suing a freight service company, citing alleged wrongful termination due to disability discrimination.
Darius Mason filed a complaint on May 15 in the St. Louis Circuit Court against CRH Transportation Inc., Gary Mantie and Terry Schuester alleging that the defendants violated the Missouri Human Rights Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Nov. 21, 2015, he began experiencing sharp pain in his legs due to a prior back injury that resulted in nerve damage to his legs. He was prescribed by a doctor to work under light duty restriction but the defendants insisted that he remain home instead. With his condition, he claims he was forced to take out a personal loan and listed the defendants as his employer. Through the lending company, plaintiff learned that he was already terminated and no longer an employee. As a result, Mason claims he was deprived of income and benefits.
The plaintiff holds CRH Transportation, Mantie and Schuester responsible because the defendants allegedly refused to engage in an interactive process with the plaintiff to determine a reasonable accommodation for his disability and terminated the plaintiff due to his disability and without giving any proper notice of his termination.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgement for compensatory, nominal and punitive damages in such amount in excess of $25,000, plus attorney's fees, costs, interest, and for such other and further relief deemed just and proper. He is represented by Daniel J. Nolan and Jeremy D. Hollingshead of Hollingshead and Duddley in St. Louis.
St. Louis Circuit Court case number 1722-CC01305