Claire – Counsel | Ty Bernard – Client | Matthew Frank – Co-counsel
On March 1, 2024, in Hennepin County District Court, attorneys Claire Bruner-Wiltse and Matthew Frank prevailed at trial on behalf of Plaintiff Ty Bernard in a civil rights case against Defendant SuperSet Tile & Stone.
Ty Bernard grew up laying tile with his father and has worked in the tile business for decades. After suffering a severe back injury that required surgery and months of rehab, Bernard needed a job in the tile industry that did not require hard labor.
Mr. Bernard thought he had found the perfect fit in a field manager job for SuperSet Tile & Stone. But, as alleged in his Complaint, when it appeared that Mr. Bernard’s back was not going to get better, SuperSet fired him. At trial, Mr. Bernard and others testified that one of SuperSet’s owners said, “If I’d known you were such a cripple, I wouldn’t have hired you.”
Following his termination, Mr. Bernard brought suit for disability discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The company denied his claim. But, in a unanimous verdict, a Hennepin County jury found in favor of Mr. Bernard and awarded him $250,000 in damages for emotional distress.
Claire Bruner-Wiltse is the Employment Chair at Heimerl & Lammers, LLC. She can be contacted at 612-294-2200 or by email at claire@hllawfirm.com.
Matthew Frank is a Founding and Managing Partner at Premo Frank PLLC. He can be contacted at 612-445-7041 or by email at matt@premofrank.com.
