Hudock Employment Law Group Delivers Decisive Victory for U.S. Armor in Disability Discrimination Case
Hudock Employment Law Group recently secured a decisive victory for its client, U.S. Armor, a body armor manufacturer in Santa Fe Springs. In a disability discrimination case by a former employee, the court granted summary judgment in favor of U.S. Armor, terminating all of the plaintiff’s claims along with her case.
The plaintiff, a former quality control employee, who claimed she was disabled, pleading eight causes action allegedly arising from her claimed disability. Lead defense counsel Rob Hudock strategically deposed the plaintiff, specifically seeking testimony to support a motion for summary judgment by U.S. Armor.
Hudock argued that based on the evidence and undisputed facts, the plaintiff did not have a qualifying disability under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. Even if she had a disability, the defense argued, the plaintiff had no evidence that she had reported any alleged disability to U.S. Armor or that it should have known about her alleged condition.
An L.A. County Superior Court judge sided with Hudock and his arguments.
In its written decision, the court found that “[i]n the absence of a disability, plaintiff cannot establish that she suffered an adverse employment action because of the disability.” It further stated: “[b]ut even assuming plaintiff was disabled, because the lack of evidence of knowledge on the part of the employer’s decision (…) plaintiff will still be unable to make a prima facie showing of this element.”
The company’s owners’ first contacted the firm after experiencing difficulties with their previous representation by a national employment law defense firm. They sought a more structured, strategic, and hands-on approach – and they wanted to win the case, rather than simply pay the plaintiff to go away.
The case is Melendez v. US Armor Corporation, 20STCV35362 (L.A. Sup., dismissed June 2023)
