Employment is important to everyone who works every day to provide economic support for their family members. Having your employment rights infringed is humiliating, disheartening, and demoralizing. You may have been wrongfully terminated from your position, and if this is the case, then you need to know the legal options available to you.
The Shelly Leeke Law Firm, LLC has over a decade of experience representing clients in wrongful termination cases. Employment law is a highly specialized practice area, and it often intersects with workers’ compensation. Retaining an experienced South Carolina wrongful termination attorney will help you stand up for your employment rights and seek financial compensation for your loss.
Determining if You Have a Wrongful Termination Claim
Many different facts and circumstances can give rise to wrongful termination claims. If you lost your job due to the following reasons, it is likely that you have a wrongful termination claim:
- Retaliation: An employee may file a sexual harassment complaint but then lose their job due to filing the complaint. Or an employee may ask for time off and then be terminated.
- Discrimination: Employers may not make employment decisions based on disability status, age, national origin, color, race, age, or sex. An employer can be liable for basing employment decisions on these criteria.
- Employment Contract: Employment contracts have many clauses and provisions that protect employees from wrongful termination. If the employer violated these contract provisions, then the employer may be liable in a civil lawsuit.
Other examples of wrongful termination include:
- Terminating an employee to stop the employee from obtaining commissions or other financial payments that are owed to the employee
- Providing employees with inaccurate information regarding the dangerous aspects of a job to manipulate the employees into accepting the job offer
- Moving employees to specific locations while hoping they will leave their positions without obtaining benefits or severance pay
- Terminating an older employee and replacing them with another worker who will accept less financial compensation
- Providing employees with false information regarding potential promotions or raises
What Should I Do After Being Wrongfully Terminated?
The following are some of the steps you should take if you think you have been wrongfully terminated in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Do Not Post on Social Media Platforms
Do not post any photographs, videos, or statements regarding your wrongful termination. Many items online are not protected, and you can protect your interests by not posting anything online. Sometimes it may be necessary for you to delete your social media profiles until the wrongful termination case is resolved.
If you have already initiated a civil lawsuit regarding your wrongful termination, then the lawyers who represent your former employer will use any posts against you. You may think a post is not going to harm your wrongful termination case, but it is possible for opposing counsel to use any of your posts against you.
Retain a Wrongful Termination Lawyer in Myrtle Beach
Many wrongful termination cases are complex and concern several different legal issues. You need to have an experienced wrongful termination attorney assess the facts of your case. All wrongful termination cases are unique, and your case may have specific facts that will affect the outcome of your case.
Scheduling a consultation will allow you to learn more about your employment rights and how you can protect yourself by holding your former employer liable for the losses you suffered.
Gather Relevant Documents
Collect the employment records that are relevant to your wrongful termination case. You may have W-2 forms, earnings records, and pay stubs that contain evidence regarding a wage dispute. These documents may be relevant to your wrongful termination case.
Also, employment reviews and employment contracts are important to all wrongful termination cases. You need to provide a wrongful termination attorney with all the records that can substantiate your legal claims. If you need advice on which specific documents to obtain, consult a Myrtle Beach wrongful termination lawyer as soon as possible.
Collect Witness Information
It is likely that several witnesses observed you interacting with your employer. Collect the contact information of any witnesses who may have observed any scenarios or facts relevant to your wrongful termination case. You may also want to request that these witnesses provide you with witness statements that can strengthen your case.
However, many of your fellow employees may not want to risk losing their positions by providing you with contact information or a witness statement.
The Damages You Can Claim in a Wrongful Termination Case
The damages you seek in a wrongful termination case may be economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages include losses that have a dollar value. Non-economic damages constitute more subject harms you suffered, such as emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life.
Also, many individuals seek punitive damages in wrongful termination cases if the conduct of the defendant was willful, wanton, or malicious. The following are some of the most common types of damages claimed in wrongful termination cases:
- Attorneys’ fees
- Medical expenses
- Job search costs
- Lost earnings
- Back pay
- Punitive damages
Speaking with a knowledgeable wrongful termination attorney in Myrtle Beach can help you determine which types of damages to claim in your wrongful termination case. You do not want to omit specific legal claims or damages that may be applicable to your case. Providing a wrongful termination attorney with a factual summary can help the attorney create a framework for seeking financial compensation for your losses.
Contact the Shelly Leeke Law Firm, LLC Today to Schedule a Consultation
The Shelly Leeke Law Firm, LLC has more than a decade of experience representing clients in wrongful termination cases. We can handle every aspect of your wrongful termination case.
Having a knowledgeable wrongful termination on your side can help you seek monetary compensation for the losses you suffered due to your wrongful termination.
