Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
The following blog entry is written to illustrate an example of a sexual harassment case. Reviewing this kind of lawsuit should help potential plaintiffs and clients better understand how parties in personal injury cases present such issues to the court.
(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this sexual harassment case and its proceedings.)
INJURIES: Herman claimed $210,000 in economic damages and additional damages for her mental and emotional distress.
Facts:
In August 2002, plaintiff Cassandra Herman, a speech professor, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after collapsing on the campus of Sacramento Community College, where she was a staff professor for 20 years. Herman claimed the PTSD stemmed from an alleged sexual assault incident involving a dean at the college years before. After being diagnosed, Herman went on a three-year leave of absence, returning on a part-time basis in 2005.
Herman claimed that her superiors at Sacramento attempted to defame her reputation and remove her from the staff due to her extended leave. She applied for a faculty exchange program to a community college in Hawaii, but Sacramento denied her request. Herman also claimed she was denied multiple requests to teach online classes as an accommodation.
Herman sued Sacramento Community College District, alleging disability discrimination, sexual harassment and defamation, as well as a violation of Education Code section 87031.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.
Herman claimed that Sacramento discriminated against her by failing to accommodate her PTSD, in regard to being denied a faculty exchange or her request to teach online classes. She further alleged the defendant attempted to defame her reputation at the school by including defamatory statements in secret personnel files on her, which was illegal. Herman also claimed that she was sexually harassed and exposed to a hostile work environment.
Evidence of the alleged sexual assault by the former dean was excluded from testimony pursuant to a motion in limine prior to trial.
Sacramento denied all accusations of discrimination, harassment and defamation.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.