BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — A former medical records coordinator at Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center has sued the facility’s operator, alleging she was retaliated against and ultimately fired after raising internal concerns about a resident’s condition, hygiene, and infection-control practices.
In a complaint filed January 21, 2026, Nuella Joseph sued Fl - Boca Raton, LLC, doing business as Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida. The case is assigned Case No. 502026CA000730XXXAMB. The lawsuit seeks damages and a jury trial, and asserts claims under Florida’s Private Whistleblower’s Act and for intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress, according to the complaint.
Joseph alleges she began working for the nursing home on or about January 14, 2025, as a medical records coordinator, and that she is a Florida-licensed registered nurse with decades of experience. The complaint describes a male resident identified as O.R., whom the filing says was under the facility’s custody and required assistance with activities of daily living, routine hygiene, and wound care due to chronic medical conditions, including stasis ulcers.
According to the complaint, facility staff discussed the resident during morning meetings in February 2025, including remarks about a foul odor in the hallway and complaints from other residents. The complaint alleges staff also acknowledged the facility lacked adequate supplies needed for universal precautions and infection-control standards, but that the facility did not obtain necessary supplies or correct the issues.
The filing also describes statements Joseph attributes to the facility’s Director of Nursing, Karen McKoy, and Administrator, Kirkland Rodney. The complaint alleges that on or around February 20, 2025, staff made demeaning remarks about the resident’s condition, and that Joseph later observed the resident seated near the nursing station with a strong odor detectable in the hallway.
The complaint alleges that on the morning of February 21, 2025, Joseph assisted the resident with a shower and observed a severe wound on his right leg, including “multiple live maggots” and necrotic tissue. The complaint further alleges Joseph observed open sores and skin breakdown on the resident’s feet and toes, and that clothing had adhered to the skin and had to be cut off. Joseph says she reported the resident’s condition through internal channels that day and asked whether photographs should be taken, but the complaint alleges the Director of Nursing responded, “I don’t want no picture here, man!”
Joseph alleges the resident later again complained of pain and lack of wound care, and that the hallway odor returned. The complaint describes a March 5, 2025, quality assurance meeting where transferring the resident to another long-term care facility was discussed rather than a hospital transfer, and alleges Joseph objected and advocated for a higher level of care.
The filing also alleges Joseph reported other issues during her employment, including pest infestations, and says she was issued a written disciplinary notice on or about March 20, 2025, accusing her of gossiping and creating safety concerns for the Director of Nursing. Joseph alleges she experienced a panic attack during a meeting about the notice and that her employment was terminated later that day. The complaint states the resident died approximately two months after her termination while still under the facility’s care, and alleges his death resulted from the conditions described in the lawsuit. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Joseph is represented by attorneys with Echebiri Law Firm PLLC and Kwall Barack Nadeau PLLC, according to the complaint. No defense law firm is listed in the filing.
The original complaint, Nuella Joseph v. Fl - Boca Raton, LLC, d/b/a Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center, Case No. 502026CA000730XXXAMB, as filed January 21, 2026, with the Clerk of Court, can be viewed here.
This case is part of Boca Post’s ongoing coverage of nursing home negligence in South Florida. Boca Post reports regularly on civil complaints filed in Palm Beach County courts. Readers can browse recent filings in our Boca Raton lawsuits coverage.
