ST. LOUIS — A teacher is suing a school, citing alleged wrongful termination.
Gabriela Doural filed a complaint in the St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court against Young Women's Leadership Academy of St. Louis, doing business as Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls, alleging it violated workers' compensation acts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Sept. 22, she was injured when she was knocked over a heavy book shelf due to a violent physical altercation between two students that she attempted to break up. The plaintiff claims she filed a claim for workers' compensation from the defendant but was placed on administrative leave and terminated from employment on Oct. 7.
As a result, Doural claims she lost income and suffered mental anguish and embarrassment.
The plaintiff alleges the defendant failed to provide employees the right to seek medical care and treatment for work-related injuries and made a calculated and malicious attempt to punish employees and discourage others from exercising their rights under Missouri's workers' compensation laws.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for actual damages in a sum in excess of $25,000 with punitive damages in excess of $25,000, attorney's fees, and further relief the court deems proper. She is represented by Douglas B. Salsbury and Robert E. Schmittgens of The Millers/Salsbury Law Firm in Eureka.
St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit Court case number 1722-CC10920