PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County nurse who survived a brutal attack by a patient one year ago has filed a lawsuit against the hospital where she worked and its security company, seeking justice and accountability for what her family calls a preventable tragedy.
Leelamma Lal was working at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital on Feb. 18, 2025, when Palm Beach County deputies say Stephen Scantlebury, a patient on a mental health hold, leaped from his hospital bed and beat her nearly to death before fleeing the facility. Deputies arrested him moments later on Southern Boulevard.
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The rosary Lal was wearing that day broke. It still bears the marks of the violent encounter — much like the woman who wore it.
"They told her, unfortunately, that her face will never look the same," said Cilji Lal, Leelamma's daughter. "Just seeing her break down and crying like it made my heart break, because my mom is so strong. She's like my role model."
The attack left the family devastated and uncertain about Lal's survival.
"I remember telling my brother how I'm only, like, 25 and I can't lose my mom yet. I'm too young to lose her," Cilji Lal said.
WPTV joined Lal's family in August when they welcomed her home for the first time since the attack, following months of rehabilitation in Jacksonville.
One year after the incident, Lal's life and her family's have been forever changed. She can no longer drive, cook independently, or tend to her beloved garden. Her adult children now help with errands, grocery shopping, and trips to church.
Attorney Karen Terry filed the lawsuit against Palms West Hospital, its corporate owner HCA, and Allied Universal Security, the hospital's private security contractor. The complaint alleges the defendants were negligent in failing to provide adequate security at a hospital with a documented history of violence.
"It was virtually certain to happen. It was just a matter of time," Terry said.
The lawsuit claims the security contract between the hospital and Allied Universal was inadequate, arguing that both parties should have negotiated more security hours and armed guards, along with additional safety measures.
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Terry's complaint lists several violent incidents that occurred at Palms West in the months before and after Lal's attack, arguing changes that have been made at the hospital since the incident, like adding the presence of a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy 40 hours per week, have made little to no impact on safety there.
"How many incidents of attacks and violence do you have to see before you're going to wake up and change your contract? But you know, Palms West doesn't want to do that because they want to save money and they're going to put profits over the safety of their own employees," Terry said.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and unspecified damages more than $50,000. Lal has lost her ability to work and continues to require medical care for double vision, cognitive impairments, and heart issues.
However, Terry and the Lal family say this case extends beyond monetary compensation — it's about ensuring healthcare workers feel safe at work and holding institutions accountable.
"I don't want my health care providers afraid to go to work," Terry said. "Are they going to give me good health care [if] they're afraid all day? I think not."
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The lawsuit also alleges that Scantlebury, who had been identified as a danger to himself or others as a Baker Act patient, was medically stable before the attack and should have been transferred to a Baker Act facility. HCA had initially stated after the attack that Scantlebury was still undergoing treatment for chest pain at the time of the attack.
Despite the ongoing challenges, the family draws strength from their faith.
"Leela is a big believer in the power, power of prayer, and I think the prayer has gotten her very far with a lot of hard work," Terry said.
For Cilji Lal, watching her mother's recovery has been both inspiring and heartbreaking.
"Seeing the extensive PT, OT, speech therapy and the challenges that she's overcome — it is pretty tough, but I'm really proud of her, " she said. "Then again, her life will never be the same that it was a year ago."
HCA and Allied Universal have been asked to respond to the claims in the lawsuit.
An HCA Healthcare spokesperson sent WPTV this statement on the lawsuit:
Today marks a solemn day for HCA Florida Palms West Hospital. Our hearts remain with our nurse colleague and her loved ones, and we continue to keep them in our thoughts.
The safety and well-being of our colleagues is and has always been a priority, and any suggestion otherwise would be misguided and false. While we are aware that the family has indicated an intent to pursue legal action, we have not been served a lawsuit and therefore will not comment on specific allegations.
Following the incident, two separate healthcare regulatory agencies reviewed our processes and both concluded there were no deficiencies in HCA Florida Palms West Hospital protocols. As part of our ongoing commitment to safety, we made security enhancements.
We remain committed to maintaining a safe environment for everyone who walks through our doors and will always continue to evaluate our practices.
Scantlebury was charged with attempted second-degree murder while evidencing prejudice following the attack. The criminal case remains ongoing as psychiatric experts evaluate his mental condition.
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