A multistate class action lawsuit filed in the Middle District of Florida is seeking $430 million from Consulate Health Care, one of Florida’s largest nursing home operators, alleging the company systematically understaffed its 22 facilities below legally required levels to maximize profits, resulting in preventable deaths, serious injuries, and widespread neglect of vulnerable residents.
The lawsuit covers more than 3,000 current and former residents of Consulate facilities in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia between 2021 and 2025.
The Core Allegations
Plaintiffs allege Consulate routinely scheduled fewer certified nursing assistants and registered nurses than required under state minimums, falsified staffing reports submitted to state health departments, and retaliated against nurses who reported unsafe conditions to regulators.
Specific incidents detailed in the complaint include: a resident with diabetes who developed a fatal infected foot wound after not receiving daily wound care for 11 days; a dementia patient who fell and broke her hip three times in six months due to absence of required hourly checks; and an 87-year-old man who developed stage IV pressure ulcers after being left in soiled bedding for extended periods.
Regulatory History
Consulate Health Care facilities have received 47 “immediate jeopardy” citations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services since 2020 — the most serious category of deficiency, indicating conditions that cause or are likely to cause serious injury, harm, or death.
CMS cut off Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to three Consulate facilities in 2024 before the facilities were transferred to new operators.
What Families Should Know
If a family member was a resident of a Consulate Health Care facility and suffered a pressure ulcer, fall injury, or wrongful death, they may have grounds for an individual claim in addition to participating in the class action. State nursing home abuse statutes often allow for enhanced damages beyond standard injury compensation.