Critical legal strategies, clinical evidence analysis, and courtroom tactics for navigating high-stakes nursing home liability and malpractice claims.
Claims involving nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and post-acute care providers often turn on a single question: was the applicable standard of care met? While allegations may focus on falls, pressure injuries, medication management, elopement, abuse, neglect, or clinical deterioration, the legal outcome frequently depends upon documentation, regulatory compliance, operational practices, staffing decisions, and the ability to demonstrate what occurred in the context of resident care.
This session examines long-term care litigation from a practical operational and evidentiary perspective. The course explores how standards of care are established, how regulatory requirements influence litigation outcomes, and how attorneys evaluate records, incident reports, survey findings, policies, and witness testimony when building or defending a case. Participants will gain practical insight into the relationship between clinical practice, facility operations, and legal liability within nursing home and post-acute care litigation.
Key Topics Discussed:
Principal Consultant | Steven Smyth Expert Consulting, LLC
Steven C. Smyth, LNHA, CNHA, HSE, BCPA, CIFHA, CMDCP, FACHE, FACHCA, is a healthcare executive, Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, consultant, and expert witness with more than 30 years of healthcare leadership and administrative experience, including more than 25 years in skilled nursing, long-term care, and post-acute care operations. He has served in senior executive and Administrator roles overseeing large and complex healthcare organizations and maintains nursing home administrator licensure in multiple states. He is the Principal Consultant of Steven Smyth Expert Consulting, LLC. Mr. Smyth provides expert witness and consulting services nationwide in matters involving nursing home, skilled nursing, assisted living, and other long-term care operations; administrative standards of care; regulatory compliance; staffing and supervision; resident safety; quality assurance and performance improvement; risk management; policies and procedures; incident investigation; and organizational oversight. He has been retained by both plaintiff and defense counsel to evaluate healthcare administrative and operational issues and provide expert opinions concerning accepted standards and regulatory requirements. Mr. Smyth is also an author, educator, and speaker on long-term care operations, regulatory compliance, workforce and leadership issues, patient and resident safety, and healthcare litigation. His educational programs examine the intersection of care delivery, organizational systems, regulatory requirements, documentation, operational performance, and legal liability. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and the American College of Health Care Administrators (FACHCA) and holds multiple professional credentials reflecting his work in healthcare administration, patient advocacy, compliance, and long-term care leadership.
