KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A federal lawsuit against the owners of some Metro apartment complexes has been settled out of court.
Former employee Tanya Teegarden filed the complaint against Gold Crown Management and Nevin Dewar.
Court records show Vijay Dewar and his son Nevin Dewar are the sole owners of Gold Crown Management.
According to court records, a confidential written settlement agreement was reached by both parties through mediation in July.
The agreement releases all claims and counterclaims by the parties.
Additionally, the agreement calls for each party to bear its own costs except as otherwise agreed.
Stephen Mirakian, the attorney for Gold Crown Management and Nevin Dewar, said he and his clients are pleased with the settlement.
Because the settlement is confidential, he offered no further comment or details.
The I-Team was unable to reach Teegarden or her attorney Michael Williams for comment.
For nearly two years, 41 Action News has documented complaints from tenants, employees, contractors, and city regulators mainly involving the 79 Metcalf Apartments in Overland Park.
RELATED: Apartment complex owners business practices questioned
Teegarden's lawsuit included claims of a hostile work environment, retaliation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and assault and battery against Nevin Dewar.
In that count, Teegarden claimed Dewar shoved a table into her, breaking two of her fingernails and a beverage glass.
"It is unfair that he feels like he has the power to do that to his employees," Teegarden said in April. “I don't care who they are. I want to hold the Dewar Family accountable, not only for myself, but others.”
The judge did toss out one count in the lawsuit – a claim Teegarden was discriminated against due to her national origin.
However, the judge denied an attempt by the defendants to get depositions or statements made by two former employees – Debbie Kendrick and Charles Dudding – and former Overland Park city inspector Sue Freeman dismissed from the court record.
When the I-Team spoke to Teegarden in April, she didn't rule out of the possibility of settling the case out of court.
However, at that time, she said she would prefer to go to trial to make a statement about the Dewars' business practices.
"I believe that workers, contractors, residents are still enduring the hardships," Teegarden said in April.
