Bristol Hospice lawsuits over the past several years fall into three main buckets: a $5.075 million jury verdict in a retaliation case brought by a former HR employee, a cluster of noncompete and trade secret suits filed by competing hospice operators over hiring, and a settled employment discrimination case in Florida. Several of these matters remain active as of mid-2026.
The $5 Million Retaliation Verdict in Graham v. Bristol Hospice Holdings
The largest case against Bristol Hospice ended in a federal jury verdict on January 29, 2026. Elizabeth Graham, a former HR benefits generalist, had sued the company in 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, alleging she was fired in retaliation for protected activity.1HR Dive. HR Worker at Hospice Company Wins $5M Jury Award for Retaliation
According to the record, Graham substantiated a co-worker’s allegations during an EEOC investigation, filed her own discrimination charge with the Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division on March 28, participated in mediation on April 24, and was terminated on July 13, roughly five weeks after the state agency withdrew her charge on June 7.2Parsons Behle. Employment Law Update
Bristol argued it fired Graham for failing to comply with a supervisor’s directive and for dishonesty. U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart denied summary judgment, finding the court could not rule as a matter of law that Bristol’s explanation was not pretextual, and noted ambiguity about whether the company had “conducted a fair investigation.”2Parsons Behle. Employment Law Update
The jury awarded Graham $75,000 in noneconomic damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Her attorney, April Hollingsworth, said the punitive award reflected the jury’s finding that Bristol had shown “malice or reckless indifference” by intentionally refusing to follow its own progressive discipline policies.1HR Dive. HR Worker at Hospice Company Wins $5M Jury Award for Retaliation
The $5 million punitive figure will likely be cut sharply. Under Title VII, punitive damages against employers with more than 500 employees are capped at $300,000, and Bristol exceeds that threshold.2Parsons Behle. Employment Law Update Bristol has filed post-trial motions seeking judgment as a matter of law or a new trial, and the case remains open.3PACER Monitor. Graham v. Bristol Hospice Holdings
Noncompete and Trade Secret Suits Filed by Competitors
As Bristol Hospice has expanded, competing hospice operators have repeatedly sued the company along with individual employees it hired away, alleging violations of noncompete, nonsolicitation, and confidentiality agreements. The outcomes so far have split.
Gentiva v. Lilly and Bristol Hospice (Maine)
In December 2024, Gentiva entities Curo Health Services LLC and Hospice of Maine LLC sued Bristol Hospice and Erica Lilly, a registered nurse and former Gentiva administrator in Brewer, Maine.4GovInfo. Curo Health Services LLC et al v. Lilly et al The complaint alleged Lilly took a Bristol position within a 75-mile radius of her former assignment in violation of her restrictive covenants, used confidential referral source lists and patient records, and recruited former Gentiva colleagues. Gentiva also claimed Bristol employees made false statements about Gentiva to referral sources.5Hospice News. Gentiva Sues Bristol Hospice, Nurse Administrator
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker denied Gentiva’s requested restraining order and preliminary injunction on December 30, 2024. He found no irreparable harm, noted Gentiva had waited about nine months after Lilly’s departure to file, and observed that hospice referral sources are generally identifiable through public means.4GovInfo. Curo Health Services LLC et al v. Lilly et al The denial was without prejudice. Discovery is set to close June 12, 2026, with a trial-ready date of September 3, 2026.6PACER Monitor. Curo Health Services LLC et al v. Lilly et al
SouthernCare v. Hollabaugh and Bristol Hospice (Indiana)
A related Gentiva-affiliated entity, SouthernCare, Inc., sued former hospice care consultant Madison Hollabaugh and Bristol Hospice – Indiana LLC in August 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, after Hollabaugh joined Bristol’s New Albany operation.7PACER Monitor. SouthernCare, Inc. v. Hollabaugh, et al
An initial injunction request was denied for insufficient evidence of irreparable harm. When SouthernCare refiled with more evidence, District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt granted a preliminary injunction on December 22, 2025, finding a likelihood of success on the breach of contract claims. Contrary to Hollabaugh’s assertion that she was doing only administrative licensing work at Bristol, evidence showed she had actively solicited SouthernCare referral sources and recruited SouthernCare employees.8GovInfo. SouthernCare, Inc. v. Hollabaugh, et al – Order Granting Renewed Motion for Preliminary Injunction The case is ongoing.
St. Croix Hospice v. Bristol Hospice (Indiana)
In March 2026, Adaptive Hospice LLC, doing business as St. Croix Hospice, sued Bristol Hospice – Indiana LLC and an individual named Yemetri Rusell in the Southern District of Indiana under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act. The complaint includes exhibits of confidentiality agreements and alleges misappropriation of trade secrets, though further specifics are not public in the available filings.9PACER Monitor. Adaptive Hospice, LLC v. Bristol Hospice – Indiana, LLC et al The case is pending before Judge Pratt, who is also handling the SouthernCare matter.
Florida Discrimination Case Settled
A former employee named Tokesky filed a civil rights employment discrimination lawsuit against Bristol Hospice LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 2025. Bristol moved to dismiss, but the motion became moot when the plaintiff filed an amended complaint. The parties reached a settlement, filed a joint stipulation of dismissal, and the case closed on November 3, 2025. Settlement terms were not disclosed.10PACER Monitor. Tokesky v. Bristol Hospice, LLC et al
Related Regulatory Findings in Pennsylvania
Not a lawsuit, but worth flagging alongside the litigation: the Pennsylvania Department of Health conducted an unannounced complaint investigation at Bristol Hospice – Blue Bell LLC in early 2026 and found the facility out of compliance with federal hospice conditions of participation. Investigators found the facility had failed to deliver care according to patients’ individualized plans in three of six clinical records reviewed, citing missed aide and skilled nursing visits that were neither rescheduled nor properly documented.11Pennsylvania Department of Health. Bristol Hospice – Blue Bell LLC Survey Results Facility leadership confirmed the findings, and Bristol submitted a plan of correction including staff re-education and weekly audits of active patient records, with full implementation committed by May 5, 2026. A separate Bristol location in State College, Pennsylvania, was cited following a February 2025 complaint survey and corrected the issue by the following month’s follow-up.12Pennsylvania Department of Health. Bristol Hospice – State College, LLC Survey Results