In a dramatic legal confrontation, a nurse has filed a lawsuit against his former employers, alleging wrongful termination after he reported patient abuse at a nursing home. The complaint was filed by Abimbola Oyelowo in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, on April 30, 2025, against Midway Neurological and Rehabilitation Center, LLC and its affiliates.
The case revolves around allegations that Mr. Oyelowo was fired for blowing the whistle on multiple instances of patient abuse at Midway's facility. According to the complaint, Oyelowo reported four separate incidents of patient-on-patient abuse within six weeks leading up to his termination on March 26, 2024. He asserts that these reports were ignored by the facility's administrator, Demetrios Kouzios, who allegedly instructed staff not to document or report these abuses as required by law. "We are not reporting this shit," Kouzios reportedly told nurses in reference to one such incident. Despite following company policy and state law requirements for reporting abuse, Oyelowo claims he faced retaliation instead of support from his superiors.
Oyelowo's complaint accuses the defendants of violating several laws including the Illinois Whistleblower Act, Illinois Nursing Home Care Act, and common law retaliatory discharge. He alleges that Midway and its parent company Infinity Healthcare Management failed to adhere to their own policies and state regulations designed to protect vulnerable patients from harm. The lawsuit highlights that under both state and federal guidelines, healthcare facilities must report any suspected abuse or neglect immediately—a mandate that Oyelowo contends was blatantly disregarded.
The plaintiff is seeking reinstatement to his former position with full benefits and seniority rights restored. Additionally, he demands back pay with interest, compensatory damages for emotional distress suffered due to the alleged wrongful termination, as well as litigation costs and attorney fees. Oyelowo also requests punitive damages aimed at deterring future violations by the defendants.
Representing Oyelowo are attorneys Laura Feldman, Amit Bindra, and Poonam Lakhani from The Prinz Law Firm based in Chicago. The case is being overseen by Judge Mariyana T. Spyropoulos under Case No. 2025L005743.