Sunrise Hospital Vegas

NEWS ALERT: Another medical malpractice lawsuit was filed against Sunrise Hospital on 12/26/2025. A patient died after she was given morphine multiple times even though she had a documented allergy to morphine. The lawsuit describes "patient dumping," "breaches of the nursing standard of care," and "outrageous and reckless failure" by Sunrise Hospital. Read the news article.

This section provides information on lawsuits, settlements and other litigation against Sunrise Hospital and HCA Healthcare. HCA is the corporate owner of Sunrise Hospital.

There have been many lawsuits and settlements against them for millions and billions of dollars. Some of the lawsuits brought by patients and their families are presented in our section of Patient Stories.

The largest settlement (discussed in the public domain) was $1.7 billion in an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. There are potentially many more settlements that are confidential.

In 2022, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, called for an investigation of HCA Healthcare for possible Medicare fraud. The article said:

HCA's profits were almost $7 billion in 2021, up nearly 100 percent in one year.

HCA has a negative history of health care fraud settlements with both federal and state authorities. This includes a settlement for $1.7 billion in the early 2000s that resolved multiple criminal counts and civil fraud allegations -- at the time, the largest health care fraud in U.S. history -- as well as other health care fraud settlements involving HCA in subsequent years.

In a February 3, 2022, article the Union (SEIU) accused HCA of $1.8 billion in Medicare fraud:

Allegations against HCA Healthcare of improper emergency department admissions practices have caught the attention of a key lawmaker, who is now calling on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to open an investigation.

Tuesday, Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-New Jersey, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight, penned a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra asking for his agency’s help to settle “disturbing questions about HCA’s corporate policies and practices.”

The congressman’s letter largely leaned on allegations by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which released a report indicating that the hospital chain may have collected $1.8 billion in excess Medicare payments since 2008 thanks to medically unnecessary emergency department admissions.

In 2012, as the result of another investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, HCA paid $16.5 million to settle false claims act allegations regarding one of their hospitals in Tennessee. As alleged in the settlement agreement, HCA entered into a series of financial transactions with a physician group, through which it provided financial benefits intended to induce the physician members to refer patients to HCA facilities.

In 2018, a physician filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing HCA of having a defacto quote system. He said supervisors hounded him with warnings and even threatened his job unless he started admitting more patients to meet his targets. Attorneys used Medicare data to show HCA hospitals nationwide are increasingly admitting patients for low-level maladies like nausea and back pain while non-HCA hospitals are going the opposite direction.

In 2021, a jury verdict of $70 million was announced against United Healthcare, Sunrise Hospital, Health Plan of Nevada, and Sierra Health and Life Insurance. The jury found the insurance affiliates liable for unjust enrichment, breach of contract and unfair insurance practices. The court had ruled that the insurers willfully hid evidence in this case.

In 2023, a class action lawsuit was filed against HCA Healthcare due to a massive data breach that exposed the personal data of 11 million patients throughout the United States.

On April 16, 2025, a class action lawsuit was filed in The United States District Court for the District of Nevada against Sunrise Hospital and HCA Healthcare in regard to employment issues. The original Plaintiff in the case is a previous employee named Aynur Kabota, Case No. 2:25-cv-00684-MMD-DJA.

On July 25, 2025, HCA Healthcare agreed to a multi-state settlement over allegations it illegally required entry-level nurses to repay training costs. These repayment arrangements, known as TRAPs (training repayment agreement provisions), violated state and federal laws. Under this program, nurses who left before two years of employment were billed for a prorated portion of the program cost, often sent to collections if unpaid. TRAPs are considered a form of employer-driven debt that can restrict job mobility and saddle healthcare workers with expected financial burdens.

The Hall Prangle law firm in Las Vegas and Chicago is frequently hired to represent Sunrise Hospital (and sometimes other Las Vegas hospitals) in medical malpractice lawsuits. Learn about two of the lawsuits that were lost by Michael Prangle when the hospitals in those cases had to pay a $63 million dollar settlement and a $43 million dollar jury verdict.

Elisa Sales vs Summerlin Hospital (settlement reached on October 24, 2019). Plaintiff had asked for up to $63 million in damages. Confidential settlement reached during jury deliberations. Plaintiff won.

The lawsuit alleged that Summerlin Hospital had failed to begin emergency resuscitation quickly enough during surgery. She was without oxygen for 9 minutes, leaving her with permanent brain damage. The plaintiff was represented by attorney Sean Claggett.

The plaintiff had asked the jury for a settlement of up to $63 million in damages. The hospital agreed to a confidential settlement with the plaintiff during jury deliberations.

LaQuinta Whitley Murray vs Centennial Hills Hospital (jury award of $43 million on January 23, 2019). Plaintiff won.

The lawsuit alleged that Centennial Hills Hospital administered a drug called ketorolac tromethamine in excess of the manufacturer's recommended dose. The excessive use of the medication caused the 29-year-old mother to have five cardiac arrests and ultimately caused her death. The plaintiff was represented by David Creasy.

The jury award included $10.5 million in compensatory damages and $32.4 million in punitive damages.

We will add information about new lawsuits and legal matters for Sunrise Hospital and HCA Healthcare as it becomes available.

The following is a partial list of additional medical malpractice lawsuits against Sunrise Hospital, Michael S. Bradford, Reynold Rimoldi, Arthur Taylor, Edward Ashman, Ronald Hillock, Nevada Orthopedic and Spine Center (and their previous company name of Advanced Orthopedic Care Assoc).

There are many more lawsuits against Sunrise Hospital, Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center, and the doctors at Nevada Orthopedic, on the court website for the Eighth Judicial District of Nevada.

Sharon Lee Wu and Estate of David Lee Siblings vs Valley Health System, Sunrise Hospital, et al, filed on 03/27/2026.

Cristian Avila-Ceja vs Reynold Rimoldi, filed on 03/10/2026.

Ben Reiter vs Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center and Dr. Michael S. Bradford and Executive Fitness Inc, filed on 01/16/2026.

Kenneth Mount, et al, vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 12/26/2025.

Matthew Portillo, et al, vs Sunrise Hospital, et al, filed on 12/01/2025.

Thomas Van Kula vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 11/24/2025.

Claire Elizabeth Sweet, et al, vs Sunrise Hospital, et al, filed on 11/21/2025.

Dale Morgan vs Sunrise Mountainview Hospital, Nevada Orthopedic and Spine Center, and Dr. Michael S. Bradford, filed on 11/19/2025.

Saphia Dewa vs Sunrise Hospital and HCA Healthcare (and multiple employees), filed on 09/25/2025

Wendy Assadi vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 08/27/2025, monetary judgment.

Boston Robertson Jr vs Sunrise Mountainview Hospital, filed on 08/12/2025.

George Green vs Sunrise Hospital, filed 06/21/2025.

Bart Gallia vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 05/27/2025. Read the news article.

Rosanne Tobias vs Arthur Taylor, and Nevada Orthopedic and Spine Center, filed on 05/15/2025.

Chantese Sykvester vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 03/07/2025.

Vanessa Bethea-Young vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 08/02/2024.

Eglis Ramirez vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 07/31/2024.

Jyoti Chheda vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 07/02/2024.

Jene Hansen vs Sunrise Mountainview Hospital, filed on 07/02/2024, monetary judgment.

Lisa Grate vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 03/07/2024.

Shaun Compton vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 12/14/2023.

Donna Nordstrom vs Sunrise Mountainview, filed on 09/07/2023.

Shawn Charles vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 08/11/2023.

Estate of Leticia A. Castillejo vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 08/04/2023.

Estate of Francisco Echeverri vs Sunrise Mountainview, filed on 07/25/2023.

Rafael Razo-Brand vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 04/03/2023.

Jasmine Rankin vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 03/10/2023.

Anthony Gonzalez-Olivas vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 01/09/2023.

Virginia Rose Somoya vs Sunrise Mountainview Hospital, filed on 11/21/2022.

Estate of Eric Lopez vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 09/23/2022, settlement.

Jennifer Burnett, Estate of Katherine A. Burnett vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 04/25/2022, settlement.

Mekdelawit Aschenaki vs Sunrise Mountain View, filed on 11/05/2021, monetary judgment.

Mark Dreksler vs Sunrise Mountainview Hospital, filed on 07/21/2021.

Danielle Eliason vs Edward S. Ashman and Nevada Orthopedic and Spine Center, filed on 04/21/2021.

Hye Doss vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 03/25/2021.

Estate of Verna Mae Rufus vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 03/23/2021, monetary judgment.

Anibal Castro vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 02/14/2021.

Jack Callie vs Sunrise Mountanview Hospital, filed on 01/26/2021.

Jeremy Sanchez-Morales vs Sunrise Hospital, Nevada Orthopedic and Spine Center, and Holman Chan, filed on 11/06/2020.

Lula Ballard vs Sunrise Mountainview Hospital, filed on 10/30/2020, monetary judgment.

Phyllis Boyden vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 10/20/2020.

Maria Cevasco Lopez vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 10/15/2020.

Holly Mendicino vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 07/02/2020.

Zeida Gonzalez vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 06/10/2020.

Lauren Nickles vs Sunrise Hospital filed on 04/27/2020. Read the news article.

Teresa Burwell vs Nevada Orthopedic and Spine Center, and Arthur Taylor, filed 03/06/2018.

Nancy Carlyle vs Reynold L. Rimoldi, et al, filed on 06/14/2017.

Rachel Melinda Soll-Caporale vs Michael S. Bradford, filed on 06/14/2016. Money judgment.

Jason Black vs Edward Ashman, filed on 04/04/2014, monetary judgment.

Alexandra Rueda vs Ronald W. Hillock, filed on 01/23/2013.

Robert Wagner vs Sunrise Mountainview, Reynold L. Rimoldi, et al, filed on 11/28/2011.

Herbert Ikawa vs Reynold L Rimoldi, filed on 03/18/2010.

Estate of Connie Howren, Brian Howren, Lisa McAllister, et al, versus Dr. Michael S. Bradford, Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center, Sunrise Hospital, et al, filed on 06/09/2005, Case number 05A505241.

Go to the page about Dr. Michael Bradford to learn about the long list of evidence that Dr. Bradford wanted to hide from the jury.

Margaret Schmutz vs Michael S. Bradford, filed on 05/05/2009. Case was settled.

Janet Corral, et al, vs Sunrise Hospital and Columbia HCA Healthcare Corp, filed on 01/06/2006.

Roger Hinkle and Estate of Shirley Diane Hinkle vs Reynold Rimoldi and Advanced Orthopedic Care Assoc, filed on 03/11/2004.

Carl Barlock vs Advanced Orthopedic Care Assoc, Reynold L. Rimoldi, et al, filed on 08/26/2003.

Melodie Simon and Michael Simon vs Sunrise Hospital and Daniel Burkead, filed on 06/23/2003.

Lydia Saulsberry vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 05/07/2003.

John Stewart vs Sunrise Hospital, filed on 04/09/2003.

Loretta Cummings vs Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, Michael Bradford, Reynold L. Rimoldi, Advanced Orthopedic Care Assoc, et al, filed on 03/24/2000.

Angela Kwiatkowski vs Advanced Orthopedic Care Assoc, Reynold L Rimoldi, Michael Bradford, filed on 01/03/2000.

In a closely watched trial by doctors and insurance companies across the country, a Nevada jury handed Greek-American Houston attorney John Zavitsanos yet another trial victory on behalf of underpaid emergency room doctors, this time with a $62.65 million award against United Healthcare, the largest insurer in the nation. With attorneys’ fees the award will be more than $70 million. This follows two earlier verdicts in Arkansas and Texas for $13 million and $20 million, respectively.

“United Healthcare got greedier and greedier and designed ways to not follow their own plan documents and brazenly pay these essential emergency room doctors less and less,” said Zavitsanos, the lead lawyer on the case for the ER physicians. “United just paid what it wanted to, not what it promised to, and not what it owed as reasonable and customary.”

In the second phase of the case to determine punitive damages, Zavitsanos told jurors to consider how reprehensible the insurers’ actions were and to speak loudly enough with their verdict to create a deterrent.

The jury found the insurance affiliates liable for unjust enrichment, breach of contract and unfair insurance practices. The court had ruled that the insurers willfully hid evidence in this case.

Source: Greek-American Lawyer John Zavitsanos $70 Million Victory for ER Doctors, The National Herald, February 25, 2022.

Announced September 26, 2025

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada secured an agreement with Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, LLC, to ensure that patients and their companions who are deaf have appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified in-person or video remote interpreting services. The new internal policies as per the agreement will be enforced in all 190 affiliated healthcare facilities across the United States.

“Every individual deserves the right to communicate effectively with their medical team, especially when assisting their child in an emergency room,” said Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This settlement reflects the United States Attorney’s Office’s commitment to the civil rights of disabled individuals, specifically those who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure they may participate meaningfully in their own health care without obstacles.”

The settlement agreement resolves a complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by a deaf father who accompanied his eight-year-old daughter during a Sunrise Hospital emergency room visit where the hospital denied him an American Sign Language interpreter in violation of the ADA.

Instead, the father was forced to use an unreliable means of communication to attempt to relay and receive information from emergency room staff, including the doctor caring for his daughter. As a result, he did not understand the extent of his daughter’s condition, medication being administered, vital details about the discharge process and treatment plan. Consequently, the father and his daughter suffered unnecessary stress, fear, and confusion.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, LLC, will provide patients and companions who are deaf appropriate auxiliary aids and services including qualified in-person or video remote interpreting services.

They will also train all patient-facing staff and employees on current ADA requirements, periodically submit reports regarding its compliance, and modify all policies and practices consistent with the ADA. Additionally, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, LLC, will pay $30,000 in monetary damages to the father, as well as $5,000 in civil penalties to the United States.

Source: Justice Department Secures Agreement With Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center To Ensure Accessibility For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Individuals Under The Americans With Disabilities Act, September 26, 2025.

The Justice Department reached settlements with more than 100 hospitals totaling approximately $75 million to resolve allegations that they mischarged Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures.

In addition to today’s settlement, the government previously settled with Medtronic Spine LLC, the corporate successor to Kyphon Inc., for $75 million to settle allegations that the company defrauded Medicare by counseling hospital providers to perform kyphoplasty procedures as inpatient rather than outpatient procedures.

Fifty-five hospitals (bringing the total to more than 100 hospitals) located throughout twenty-one states have agreed to pay the United States a total of more than $34 million to settle allegations that the health care facilities submitted false claims to Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures, the Justice Department announced today. Kyphoplasty is a minimally-invasive procedure used to treat certain spinal fractures that often are due to osteoporosis.

In many cases, kyphoplasty can be performed safely and effectively as an outpatient procedure without any need for a more costly hospital admission. The settlements announced today resolve allegations that the settling hospitals frequently billed Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures on a more costly inpatient basis, rather than an outpatient basis, in order to increase their Medicare billings.

“Hospitals that participate in the Medicare program must bill for their services accurately and honestly,” said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that Medicare funds are expended appropriately, based on the medical needs of patients rather than the desire of medical providers to maximize profits.”

The 55 hospitals included Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas and 22 additional hospitals owned by HCA Healthcare.

Source: Fifty-Five Hospitals to Pay U.S. More Than $34 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Kyphoplasty, July 2, 2013.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) released a comprehensive report about HCA Healthcare in 2022, titled "HCA: Higher Healthcare Costs of America."

Their report about HCA Healthcare says "new research indicates American's largest for-profit hospital system may be gaming the Medicare system and driving up healthcare costs for patients and citizens."

Here are some highlights from the report:

HCA's hospital markups are in general more than twice the national average, and many HCA hospitals have markups as high as 12 or 13 times the costs of care -- or even higher.

At the same time, staffing levels in HCA's hospitals lag the national average by about 30%, and the company pays tens of thousands of its employees poverty wages.

Based on the new research in this report, these high profits and payments to investors may originate in part from Medicare fraud. HCA routinely admits patients for inpatient hospital stays apparently regardless of medical need.

HCA is the largest health system in the U.S. and one of the wealthiest health systems in the world, with a market capitalization of $78.1 billion as of November 1, 2021.

This analysis indicates that HCA's practice of overadmitting patients may have brought the company nearly $2 billion in excess Medicare payments since 2008.

These allegations hold particular weight given HCA Healthcare's history of Medicare fraud.

HCA was the subject of the largest Medicare fraud settlement in U.S. history in the early 2000s when the company agreed to pay $1.7 billion.

According to the report, HCA fraud investigations and settlements date back to the 1990s and demonstrate that HCA has a history of engaging in alleged fraud to maximize profits and that federal and state governments and other stakeholders must take steps to increase scrutiny on for-profit healthcare corporations like HCA.

Over the past two decades, HCA and its affiliated entities have had at least nine settlements to resolve fraud allegations with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The facts and allegations, together with the data analysis summarized in the report present a strong case that HCA is engaged in practices that maximize profits at the expense of patient care, working conditions, and responsible corporate behavior.

Source: HCA: Higher Healthcare Costs of America, by SEIU, published in 2022. Read the Executive Summary, and read the Full Report.

Note: Prior to being owned by HCA Healthcare, Sunrise Hospital was owned by Humana Health Insurance.

A federal judge gave his final approval Tuesday (November 30, 1999) to a multi-million-dollar settlement ($28.8 million) involving Sunrise Hospital and its former owner, Humana Health Insurance.

The 10-year-old class-action lawsuit claimed that as many as 84,000 Nevada patients and their employers were overcharged more than $140 million in hospital bills between 1984 and 1988.

The lawsuit said that Humana had an agreement with patients entering Sunrise Hospital in which it would pay 80 percent of the bills and the patients would pay the rest. However, the insurance company struck a deal with the Sunrise and paid lower rates. The savings were never passed on to the patients.

The investigation into the situation ultimately caused the Nevada Legislature to change the state insurance law so discounts would be passed on to patients.

The case even ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court at one point.

The patients' attorneys tried to convince U.S. District Judge Philip Pro that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) could be used against Humana and the hospital, but Pro ruled that the act could not be used because it would impair the state's role in regulating the insurance business.

When the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled Pro's decision, the attorneys went before the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that RICO statutes could be applied.

Because the RICO act could be used, Humana could have ended up paying out triple damages in the suit, but the matter was tentatively settled in August, eight months after the Supreme Court issued its ruling.

Source: Judge GIves Final Approval to Humana, Sunrise Settlement, published by Las Vegas Sun on December 1, 1999.