DonQuenick Yvonne Joppy, a Black registered nurse formerly employed at The Medical Center of Aurora in Colorado, secured a $20 million federal jury verdict in August 2025 after bringing civil rights claims against HCA HealthOne, its supervisors, and other affiliated employees.
The jury unanimously found that Joppy's termination resulted from both retaliation after she filed a complaint about race discrimination and from discrimination itself.
Joppy's employment at the hospital had been marked by escalating acts of harassment, including being denied training and transfer opportunities, being placed on a performance improvement plan for questionable reasons, and experiencing physical isolation from coworkers.
Supervisors made disparaging comments targeting her race and falsely accused her of theft; hospital management failed to reasonably investigate her complaints of discrimination. Joppy was assigned disproportionate patient loads and her transfers were restricted, leading to heightened professional scrutiny and isolation.
One particularly troubling incident involved allegations that Joppy had mishandled an end-of-life care situation with a 94-year-old patient. Although a doctor's verbal orders directed withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions at the family's request, a nurse supervisor, who was accused of previously discriminating against Joppy, later questioned her actions.
The hospital determined she had acted without documented orders and terminated her, subsequently reporting the matter to the Colorado Attorney General.
Joppy faced manslaughter and related charges, which were ultimately dismissed in September 2021 when authorities concluded the patient died of natural causes, and Joppy had acted according to medical orders. Despite being cleared of criminal responsibility, Joppy was fired and became unemployable.
Joppy filed her federal civil rights lawsuit in April 2022, naming the hospital, Katie Weihe, and Bonnie Andrews as defendants and alleging pervasive race-based mistreatment and retaliation for reporting discrimination. She attested that the hospital placed her on unjust disciplinary plans, restricted her access, isolated her from most workplace amenities, and ultimately ended her employment because of her race and her protected complaints.
The federal jury rendered a verdict in Joppy's favor for $5 million for emotional distress, reputational harm, and pain and suffering and $15 million in punitive damages for intentional discrimination and retaliation. The employer publicly rejected the merit of her suit but did not prevail in court.
Source: https://www.denverpost.com/2025/08/20/donquenick-joppy-verdict-hca-healthone/
Commentary
Healthcare organizations must exercise great care and diligence before pursuing claims of criminal misconduct against employees.
The decision to label an employee's actions as criminal should always follow a thorough, timely, and impartial internal investigation in which all relevant facts are collected, witnesses are interviewed, and documentary evidence is reviewed objectively.
Organizations must protect the integrity of both the complainant and the accused throughout the process, ensuring that the investigation is free from bias and consistent with established protocols for fair workplace procedures.
Investigators should collaborate with legal counsel and compliance officers to evaluate the evidence and determine whether the facts truly support the allegation under criminal standards.
Unsubstantiated or poorly investigated allegations can cause significant harm to employees, damage reputations, and expose organizations to liability for wrongful termination, retaliation, or discrimination. Maintaining accurate documentation and transparency at every step helps prevent flawed actions and preserves workplace trust.
The final takeaway is that healthcare organization's credibility and risk profile depend on sound investigative practices and judicious decision-making before taking any steps that could irrevocably affect an employee's career or freedom.
