Private Equity, Maternal Health, and Accountability: Nicole Kruegel of Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa in the National Spotlight

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new documentary from Al Jazeera's Fault Lines and Mother Jones investigates how a private equity firm gutted a major U.S. hospital chain for profit—leaving patients without critical care and families in crisis.

This critically important report follows devastating stories of families impacted by systemic hospital failures — including a deeply personal and high-profile legal case handled by attorney Nicole Kruegel of Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa.

Nicole Kruegel represents Lisa, a mother whose long-awaited daughter, Lilly, died just three days after birth due to a cascade of medical failures at a hospital owned by Steward Health Care. Despite clear signs of fetal distress and a high-risk condition known as placental abruption, Lisa was left unattended for hours. By the time a C-section was performed, Lilly had lost most of the blood in her body. She was airlifted to another hospital but died days later.

Nicole's legal action not only seeks justice for Lisa and Lilly — it also aims to expose how corporate greed is systematically gutting maternal care across the country. The documentary features Kruegel's advocacy as part of a growing national reckoning with the role of private equity in healthcare.

Another tragic story in the film follows Nabiel and his wife, recent immigrants from Bangladesh, who welcomed their first child in Massachusetts in October 2023. Within hours of delivery, the mother began hemorrhaging. Though doctors told Nabiel they would use a lifesaving embolism coil, they never disclosed that the hospital had none — a result of unpaid bills under Steward's ownership. She died a day after becoming a mother.

Studies cited in the documentary reveal that the majority of malpractice cases stem from systemic failure — not individual errors. In recent years, Steward Health Care has shuttered a third of its labor and delivery units nationwide, citing financial concerns. Nurses in the documentary describe the sharp decline in staffing, resources, and support after private equity ownership began.

"I was honored to play a role in this important documentary because it honors the lives of babies needlessly lost and families shattered by hospital negligence and the insatiable thirst of these healthcare conglomerates to do the wrong thing," said Kruegel.

Nicole Kruegel is a nationally recognized advocate for women and families harmed by medical negligence and is leading the charge to hold corporate owners of hospitals accountable for what she calls "cost-cutting with a body count."

Press Contact:

Natasha Diemer
Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa
Phone: (561) 516-5168
Email: [email protected]

Agency contact:

Bridget Mercuri
Media Strategist
AMPLIFY
Phone: (561) 717-6499
Email: [email protected]

About Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa

Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa is a leading Florida law firm dedicated to advocating for victims of medical malpractice and corporate negligence. With a track record of holding powerful institutions accountable, the firm fights for justice on behalf of individuals and families affected by preventable harm.

SOURCE Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa