MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — West Virginia University Hospitals and Reynolds Memorial Hospital is being sued by a woman who says she was wrongfully terminated from her employment.
Carol Patterson worked as a secretary in a pediatrics office from September 21, 2017, until April 10, 2020, when she was terminated for what the defendants say was improper reviewing of the electronic medical chart of a co-worker, reported wvrecords.
According to the suit, Patterson claims she did not commit the act and when she requested proof from the defendants that she had accessed the file they refused to provide it even though they could provide documentation of the incident.
According to wvrecords, Patterson claims the defendants wrongfully terminated her because an employer cannot make a false accusation against an employee and then rely on that false accusation as justification for termination of employment.
“Plaintiff denied at the time of her termination that she had committed such an act and demanded proof of wrongdoing from the defendants,” the complaint states. “The defendants fabricated the reason for the plaintiff’s termination and fired her from her employment without any due process whatsoever,” reported wvrecords.
Patterson claims the defendant’s actions were willful, malicious, wanton, intentional, and in violation of West Virginia law.
Patterson is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre-and-post-judgment interest claiming that the defendant’s actions cause her to suffer significant and permanent damages.