Halifax Votes to End Whistleblower Suit

After five years, a fiercely fought legal battle that cost Halifax Health more than $110 million in settlement and legal costs is drawing to a close.  The James Hoyer law firm is local counsel in the Halifax case. The Halifax Health Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to settle remaining claims in a whistleblower lawsuit for $1 million plus $4.5 million in legal fees for the whistleblower’s attorneys. That’s on top of an $85 million settlement in March and about $29.5 million in legal fees. Officials at the public hospital say their decision to settle was not an admission of wrongdoing but to minimize potential legal risk. “We are disappointed in paying anything for providing exceptional care, but we are looking forward to putting this behind us and moving forward,” Halifax Health CEO Jeff Feasel said in a prepared statement. “Unfortunately, in situations like this, avoiding future appeals and legal fees is the right business decision.” Although parties have agreed to the settlement terms, a filing still must be entered in federal court in Orlando to dismiss the case, hospital officials said. The board also voted Monday night to evaluate the performance of the chief executive officer and legal counsel, as well as hold town hall meetings to answer questions from the public. No dates have been set. Click here to read more in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.