In December 2010, plaintiff April Rodriguez, a customer service representative for Valley Vista Services, a city of Industry-based waste disposal company, requested a leave of absence and other accommodations because she was suffering from panic attacks. Her doctor subsequently placed her on a leave of absence, but did not clear her return to work. Rodriguez was ultimately terminated from employment in January 2011. Rodriguez sued Valley Vista Services Inc. and its parent company, Zerep Management Corp. She alleged that the defendants’ actions constituted disability discrimination, a failure to accommodate, a failure to engage in the interactive process, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Rodriguez contended that during the interim week that she had not been cleared by her doctor to return to work, she attempted to reach her supervisor almost daily, but that her supervisor ignored all her attempts at communication. She also contended that when communication was later established, she was met with skepticism by her supervisor, and was fired in retaliation for her requests and for her doctor’s failure to clear her to return to work. Valley Vista and Zerep Management denied all of Rodriguez’s claims, and alleged that she was terminated due to job abandonment., Rodriguez claimed her termination caused her extreme financial hardship. She alleged that her former husband was employed by Valley Vista, but did not contribute any spousal support or assist in raising her four children. Rodriguez also claimed she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder due to the discrimination and her termination. Thus, Rodriguez sought recovery of $269,463 in compensatory economic damages, as well as recovery of an unspecified amount for her general damages. She also sought recovery of $16.6 million in punitive damages, claiming that the defendants acted with malice in denying her requests and terminating her from employment.