Introduction to PruittHealth

PruittHealth was established in 1969 and has served patients for over 50 years through skilled nursing, palliative care, home health care, end-of-life care, hospice, and therapy services. 

The PruittHealth family focus has helped the company spread its influence to 180 locations across Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Approximately 24,000 patients are served in these locations, many in long-term care facilities under the PruittHealth umbrella. This company’s headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia. 

A Failure to Provide High-Quality Health Care

While residents of these nursing homes deserve quality care and a certain standard of services, the communities managed by PruittHealth often fall short of expectations. As a result, many patients have had their lives turned upside down by abusive or negligent behaviors from nursing staff and administrators. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has rated many of this company’s institutions with one or two stars out of a possible five. These scores are based on assessments for health inspections, quality measures, and staffing. 

Suppose you or a family member have been harmed by staff at a skilled nursing facility managed by PruittHealth. In that case, you may have grounds for a lawsuit against the institution or parent company for negligence. Contact the Nursing Home Law Center team if you would like to pursue compensation for legal damages suffered. 

Complaints and Legal Actions Against PruittHealth

Since the beginning of 2022, facilities managed by PruittHealth have been cited in over 40 complaints of violations that eventually led to fines. Since 2014, violations have cost the parent company over $10 million due to nursing home offenses, False Claims Act issues, labor violations, workplace safety or health violations, or employment concerns. 

The total number of violations that resulted in fines for nursing home violations was 126 [1]. There have also been lawsuits filed against PruittHealth team members for various reasons. 

Wrongful Death From Bedsores

In 2019, a family filed a wrongful death lawsuit when their loved one passed away due to complications from a bedsore. Bedsores often develop when residents are not given enough attention and are left in bed for long periods. 

The family stated that the low standard of compassionate care that led to the loss of life was caused by the facility cutting corners to save money. This lawsuit exposed the PruittHealth network to additional scrutiny, which led to many other skilled nursing facilities being implicated in bedsore cases. 

False Claims Act Violation

In 2021, an investigation resulted in PruittHealth paying $4.2 million for violations of the False Claims Act. The investigation determined that some communities had billed Medicare and Medicaid for reimbursement for home health services that were not eligible for payments. The case was brought by a former employee of PruittHealth, and the records in question date back to 2011 [2].

Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit

In 2023, a data breach exposed the private health information of thousands of PruittHealth network patients. A class action lawsuit recently filed in the Georgia federal court against the parent company for failing to implement adequate security measures to protect patient information. 

It is believed that 56,000 consumers’ private information was affected by this data breach. The class action lawsuit includes claims for negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty [3]. 

Inspection and Deficiency Reports for PruittHealth Facilities

PruittHealth is not immune to the issue of nursing home abuse and neglect that has swept the nation. From health code violations to instances of physical abuse, this parent company’s ability to provide high-quality health care to every patient at their facilities is in question. Here are a few deficiencies discovered through inspections and complaint investigations in recent years. 

PruittHealth Old Capitol in Louisville, Georgia

Some of the most severe and recent violations within the PruittHealth family network have occurred at this Lousiville, GA, facility. The institution has failed to ensure that nursing staff have the necessary competencies to provide care for every patient. Significant medication errors have put residents in danger. Another failure at this institution is its inability to use resources efficiently and effectively. 

PruittHealth Lilburn in Georgia

This facility is guilty of a host of violations. First, the staff has failed to protect each resident from various types of abuse, including physical, sexual, and financial exploitation. Patients have also suffered because of the staff’s inability to use resources correctly. The worst part of this facility’s record is its failure to respond to these violations and correct the mistakes. 

PruittHealth Columbia in South Carolina

Another nursing home with a troubled past is located in Columbia, South Carolina. This facility has also failed to protect residents from physical, sexual, and financial abuse. There have also been violations regarding the resident’s right to request, refuse, or discontinue treatment. This sometimes included the right to participate in or refuse experimental treatments.

PruittHealth Brookhaven in Atlanta, Georgia

Some skilled nursing communities have too many recent violations to list here, and PruittHealth Brookhaven in Atlanta is one example. This institution has failed to protect residents from various types of abuse, report instances of abuse promptly, implement complete care plans that serve the needs of each patient, and keep the nursing home clear of accident hazards. 

Additionally, the facility has struggled to use its resources efficiently and protect private information according to professional standards. All these violations have significantly harmed multiple residents and opened the facility to potential lawsuits [4]. 

How Nursing Home Lawyers Can Help You or Your Family Member

PruittHealth and its various communities must be held accountable when negligence leads to the harm patients and their families suffer. A skilled nursing facility is meant to be a haven for elderly patients, where all their healthcare needs are met, but it can become a nightmare scenario when neglect or abuse occurs. 

Attorneys from the Nursing Home Law Center can make all the difference in your pursuit of justice and compensation for legal damages. 

Know the Signs of Abuse or Neglect

It often falls to the family members of an elderly resident to watch for the signs of abuse and neglect. Often, the patient may not know what is happening to them or is afraid to take action due to potential backlash from the staff. 

If you notice symptoms like unexplained bruises, broken bones, physical restraints, changes in behavior, depression, fear of specific individuals, or agitation, these could indicate that your family member is suffering from abuse or neglect. In extreme circumstances, their life could be in danger. 

Act Quickly to Take Legal Action

Watching patients find justice after being wronged is a great privilege for the Nursing Home Law Center team. However, your chances of success in a lawsuit could be diminished if you wait too long to file your claim. Evidence may be challenging to gather if much time has passed since the incident. 

Additionally, failing to act quickly could mean the skilled nursing facility patient is exposed to more abuse or neglect. There are also statutes of limitation to contend with, depending on your state. The sooner you connect with a lawyer to discuss your options, the more likely you will earn maximum compensation from your claim. 

Enjoy a Free Consultation and No Upfront Fees

We believe in helping you make an informed decision about your claim. If you have questions or concerns about the claims process or want to know if you have grounds for a case, you can contact our team for a free case review. Together, we will discuss your specific case and what legal options you have. 

Our nursing home neglect attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. Instead of paying upfront fees or ongoing costs for every hour of work, you can keep more of your money to cover bills for medical services. 

We only get paid if we win your case and secure a settlement. That payment is then deducted from the settlement total. This removes the financial burden on victims who want to hold nursing homes accountable for failing to provide high-quality health care. 

Contact the Nursing Home Law Center Today

PruittHealth Inc. has committed to providing Medicare, palliative care, long-term accommodations, home health care, and other services to nursing home residents at its facilities. 

However, the company has often fallen short of that expectation, failing to enforce proper standards of compassionate care. If you or a loved one have been harmed while staying in a PruittHealth facility, you may have the right to compensation for legal damages.

The Nursing Home Law Center team is prepared to help with your claim. We will gather substantial evidence to support the claim, assess all legal damages, negotiate with the nursing home or insurance company, and represent you in trial if necessary. Contact our office today at 800-926-7565 or complete the online form to request your free consultation. 

Resources: [1] Violation Tracker – PruittHealth Summary, [2] AJC – PruittHealth False Claims Case, [3] Top Class Actions – PruittHealth Data Breach, [4] ProPublica – Deficiencies at PruittHealth,