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Nurse & Healthcare Legal Cases You Need to Know About This Week

Written By: Brandy Pinkerton
RN, Travel Nurse
13 Min Read Published April 3, 2025
Nurse & Healthcare Legal Cases You Need to Know About This Week

Legal cases in healthcare don’t just impact the individuals involved—they set precedents that can reshape nursing practice, influence hospital policies, and even change laws. Whether it’s a malpractice lawsuit, a wrongful termination case, or the criminal prosecution of a healthcare worker, these legal battles impact the medical profession as a whole. Staying informed is essential for protecting your license, understanding your rights, and advocating for safer workplace conditions.

Each week, new legal cases emerge that could have lasting implications for nurses and the healthcare industry. By staying up to date, nurses can better protect themselves, advocate for systemic change, and ensure they’re practicing within the evolving legal framework of their profession. Here’s what you need to know this week.

  • Union Rights of Federal Healthcare Workers Threatened by Recent Executive Order: President Trump recently signed an executive order that could impact over 1 million federal employees' union rights, including nurses employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies. The executive order titled "Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs" was signed on March 27, 2025.The executive order specifically targets agencies with "national security missions," explicitly including the VA because it "serves as the backstop healthcare provider for wounded troops in wartime". This classification provides the administration's justification for removing the VA from federal labor-management relations programs that have protected workers' rights for decades.

  • Colonial Heights Nursing Home Court Records Expose Abuse Texts, Lead to Felony Charges: Virginia Colonial Heights nursing home is at the center of a growing investigation involving patient neglect, falsified medical records, medication errors, and elder abuse—with some staff now facing felony charges and one nurse accused in the death of a patient.

  • 20K HHS Jobs Cuts, RFK Cites 'Excess Admin'—Focus Turns to Frontline Healthcare & Science: In a sweeping overhaul announced on March 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will eliminate 20,000 positions—half through direct layoffs—and close multiple agencies in what represents the most significant restructuring of the department in decades. RFK Jr. states that the department is focused on increasing the number of scientists and frontline healthcare workers. 

  • Police Cleared in Fatal Shooting of Chainsaw-Wielding Man at Assisted Living Facility: An investigation into the fatal police shooting of a man wielding a chainsaw inside a senior living facility has found no wrongdoing on the part of the officers involved. The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office, Illinois State Police, and St. Charles Police Department confirmed the findings following the December 1, 2024, incident at River Glen of St. Charles.

  • New-Grad Nurse Indicted After Wheelchair-Bound Patient Found Dead on Patio: ​​​Amber Henderson, a 31-year-old nurse at the Avenue at Warrensville Care and Rehabilitation Center, has been indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, tampering with records, and patient neglect, following the death of wheelchair-bound 84-year-old Alvera Meuti at Warrensville Care and Rehabilitation Center in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

  • Nurse Falls Asleep Driving After 3 Night Shifts—Deadly Crash Leads to 2nd Degree Homicide By Vehicle Charge: Kayla Proctor, a 24-year-old nurse at Northside Forsyth Hospital in Georgia, was driving home after working three night shifts in a row—each lasting around 12.5 hours. On her way home, she fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a crash that killed a 72-year-old Jean Holbrook. According to news reports, Proctor told deputies she was coming off her third consecutive night shift when she fell asleep at the wheel. She was arrested, and the investigation is ongoing. “Her shift was approximately twelve and a half hours long, and this was her third night shift in a row,” police say. 

  • Psych Nurses Call 911 as 15+ Youth Patients Violently Attack, Police Blocked From Entering: On March 8, 2025, at around 8:30 PM, a chaotic and scary incident occurred at UofL Peace Hospital in Louisville, when approximately 15 juvenile patients started fighting, became violent and out of control -- then assaulted staff. Multiple staff members were violently attacked by the juveniles and were forced to hide inside a locked area of the nurse’s station, where they desperately called 911 for help while patients attempted to break down the door. Those 911 calls were released and revealed shocking details about the events and the reasons behind the delayed police response. 

  •  New Virginia Law Expands Nurse Midwife Roles Amid Maternity Care Crisis: A new state law, set to take effect on July 1, 2025, allows certified nurse midwives to play a larger role in addressing Virginia’s maternity care shortages. By permitting midwives to serve on 24-hour nursery duty rosters when physicians are unavailable, the law aims to improve access to care in underserved areas. However, its success depends on hospital boards, which may resist fully integrating midwives due to longstanding preferences for physician-led models.

  • Vancouver Nurse Strangled Unconscious in Psychiatric Unit Raises Safety Concerns: On March 13, a nurse at Vancouver General Hospital was violently attacked and strangled unconscious by a patient with a history of violence, prompting renewed calls for improved hospital security. The nurse, who was not treating the assailant, was rescued by colleagues and is now recovering at home. The BC Nurses’ Union has criticized the lack of immediate police reporting and inadequate safety measures, emphasizing the growing risks healthcare workers face in understaffed facilities.

  • Scientists Sue NIH, Saying Politics Cut Their Research Funding: On April 2, 2025, a coalition of scientists and health organizations sued the National Institutes of Health (NIH), claiming that research grants were revoked due to political motivations. The lawsuit alleges that funding for critical areas such as HIV prevention and maternal health disparities was unlawfully terminated

  • Justice Department Backs Lawsuit Against Data Analytics Firm: On March 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice supported healthcare providers in a lawsuit against MultiPlan (now Claritev) and health insurers. The case alleges that the use of MultiPlan’s pricing algorithm manipulated reimbursements for out-of-network services, violating federal antitrust laws

  • Saint Anthony Hospital Sues Illinois Over Medicaid Payments: Chicago-based Saint Anthony Hospital filed a federal lawsuit against Illinois, alleging improper Medicaid reimbursement practices. The hospital claims the state failed to provide transparency on how payments are calculated under fee-for-service and managed-care programs

Last Week

Recent

    • Teen Charged with Felony After Allegedly Biting a Nurse at Wynn Hospital in Utica, NY: A 13-year-old has been charged with felony assault after allegedly biting a nurse at Wynn Hospital, according to the Utica Police Department. Authorities reported that the incident occurred while the nurse was providing care, though specific details about the altercation have not been released. The case is currently under investigation, and no further information has been provided regarding the juvenile's identity or potential legal proceedings. 

    • PA Governor Proposes $5 Million Budget To 'Strengthen Nursing Workforce: Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker visited Temple Women & Families on March 6 to highlight the 2025-26 budget proposal focused on tackling Pennsylvania’s nursing shortage and strengthening the healthcare workforce. The plan includes investments in nursing education, workforce development, and retention initiatives to support the state's growing healthcare demands. Their visit emphasized the critical need for skilled nurses and sustainable solutions to bolster healthcare infrastructure across Pennsylvania.

    • Hospitals Line Up to Sue Blue Cross Blue Shield, Opting Out of 2.8 Billion Settlement:  Dozens of U.S. hospital systems and healthcare providers filed lawsuits against Blue Cross Blue Shield and its affiliates, alleging they were underpaid by billions of dollars. The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, come as some providers opt out of a $2.8 billion class action settlement in Alabama. This legal battle marks a new chapter in ongoing disputes over health insurance reimbursements and provider payment practices.

    • Travel Nurse Sues Overlake Medical Center Over Alleged Patient Attack and Sexual Assault: Samantha Bradley, a Travel nurse of 13 years has filed a lawsuit against Overlake Medical Center, alleging she was s*xually assaulted and defecated on by a patient while on duty. The lawsuit claims the hospital failed to provide adequate safety measures, putting healthcare workers at risk. This case raises concerns about workplace safety for nurses and highlights ongoing challenges in protecting medical staff from patient violence.

    • Nurse Accused of Killing 9 Patients To Ease Night Shift Workload in Germany: A nurse in Germany is accused of murdering nine patients and attempting to murder 34 others at the Rhein-Maas-Klinikum in Würselen, Germany.The 44-year-old nurse, whose identity has not been disclosed, is suspected of injecting his victims with lethal doses of painkillers or sedatives, sometimes in combination with other medications. What makes this case particularly chilling is the alleged motive: prosecutors believe the nurse's actions were driven by a desire to ensure quiet night shifts and reduce his workload.

    • TX Makes First Criminal Arrests Under Abortion Ban, Unlicensed Midwife & Employee: According to Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxon, the state has made its first criminal arrests under the state's near-total abortion ban, a Houston-area midwife is accused of performing illegal procedures and practicing medicine without a license. Maria Margarita Rojas, 49, and her alleged employee, Jose Ley, 29, were taken into custody on March 17, 2025, following an investigation by the Texas Attorney General’s office. Prosecutors claim Rojas, who ran multiple clinics in the Houston area, attempted to perform abortions on two occasions in March and carried out another earlier in the year.

    • Fake Nurse & Fiance Arrested After Patient Dies: Couple Faces 14 Felony Charges : A Michigan couple has been arrested after investigators say they ran an elaborate scam, allowing an unlicensed man to pose as a nurse caring for an elderly patient who later died. Investigators say Irwin, who worked in scheduling and HR at BrightStar Care in Jacksonville, used a real nurse’s identity to secure the job for Williams, leading to 14 counts of practicing medicine without a license and multiple fraud charges. 

    • Court Hits China with $24B Penalty for Hoarding PPE in Pandemic: A U.S. federal judge in Missouri has ruled that China is liable for its actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, ordering the country to pay approximately $24 billion in damages. The lawsuit, filed by Missouri's attorney general in April 2020, alleged that China concealed the virus's spread and hoarded personal protective equipment (PPE), exacerbating global shortages and economic losses. Missouri claims it spent over $122 million more on PPE and lost more than $8 billion in tax revenue due to these actions. China has denied the allegations and warned of potential retaliatory measures. 

    • NICU Nurse Who Broke Preemie Babies' Bones on Purpose Hit with More Felony Charges: Former NICU nurse Erin Strotman now faces six new felony charges after a grand jury indicted her for malicious wounding and child abuse involving three premature infants at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. Prosecutors are also reviewing four additional cases from 2023 where an internal investigation linked Strotman to infants with broken bones, with her next court date set for March 20.

    • Colonial Heights Nursing Home Banned From New Admissions After Abuse & Death Claims: Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Virginia has been banned from accepting new admissions due to allegations of abuse, neglect, and a resident's death. Investigations began in December 2024, leading to charges against 18 staff members for elder abuse, neglect, and falsifying records. A March 2025 state inspection substantiated complaints about inadequate staffing, improper medication administration, and poor wound care. The facility has faced mounting scrutiny, including the Veterans Affairs agency halting placements of veterans since late 2024. As of March 10, 2025, the nursing home remains closed to new applicants amid ongoing investigations.

Legal issues in healthcare are constantly evolving, and staying informed is one of the best ways for nurses to protect themselves, their patients, and their profession. From malpractice lawsuits to workplace protections and criminal cases, each legal battle carries lessons that can shape the future of nursing. By understanding these cases, nurses can better navigate their own practice, advocate for change, and ensure they are prepared for any legal challenges they may face.

Check back each week for updates on the latest legal cases impacting nurses and the healthcare industry. Staying informed is the first step in staying protected.

🤔 Nurses, share your thoughts on the lawsuits and legal cases below. 

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Brandy Pinkerton
RN, Travel Nurse
Brandy Pinkerton
Nurse.org Contributor

Brandy Pinkerton is a seasoned RN with a diverse and exciting career as a travel nurse. For the first ten years of Brandy’s career, she worked as a NICU and PICU nurse and then switched to a critical care float pool role at a children’s hospital in her home state of Texas. This opportunity gave Brandy the experience she needed to float to different units, including cardiovascular, hematology, oncology, and many others. She pursued travel nursing, allowing her to travel to states across the nation, including Colorado, Florida, South Carolina, Nevada, and Montana. Learn more about her on site: TravelNurse101

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