Overview
Lisa Circeo, the principal of Circeo Law Firm, is an acclaimed and sought-after trial lawyer, with more than 25 years of experience successfully representing clients.
Committed to making the world a safer place by holding wrongdoers accountable, Lisa is a dedicated, uncompromising voice for the rights of vulnerable members of society, both in and outside the courtroom.
Lisa has successfully represented victims of nursing home negligence, wrongful death, product liability, electrocution, fires, negligent security and more.
Lisa’s legal successes include over $70,000,000 in verdicts recovered on behalf of victims of nursing home abuse and neglect as well as numerous seven- and eight-figure settlements on behalf of victims of nursing home abuse and neglect, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death.
Her notable cases include:
- Offutt v. Harborside of Madisonville, et al: A record-breaking $42 million verdict awarded to a Kentucky victim of nursing home abuse, which is the largest verdict awarded to a victim of nursing home abuse in Kentucky. The client, who was improperly attended to by staff at the facility, died due to severe dehydration, despite having a feeding tube, sustained malnutrition, pressure sores, and multiple infections.
- Myers v. NHC Healthcare-McMinnville: Nearly $30 million verdict against a Nashville, Tennessee nursing facility, whose negligence and abuse resulted in a patient’s death. The client sustained several injuries such as a broken hip, pressure sores, urosepsis, and complications from poor hygiene, including repeatedly being left to sit in his own waste. This client’s suffering was part of larger systemic problems within the nursing home company, including their willingness to take on higher volumes of patients despite serious staffing shortages.
- Qualls v. Russell Alzheimer’s Investors, LLC d/b/a The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Russell; Independent Healthcare Properties, LLC: A Greenup County, Kentucky jury awarded a Circeo Law Firm plaintiff a verdict of nearly 22 million dollars following a three-week trial in October 2024. The case regarded a deceased personal care home resident with Alzheimer’s dementia who suffered at least three falls at the facility within two weeks, the first resulting in a subdural hematoma, which did not show up on initial scans at the hospital. Upon return to the personal care home, the resident began showing signs and symptoms consistent with a brain bleed but the personal care home failed to respond to same. In failing to do so, they violated their own policies and procedures, which included an extensive head-injury policy that would have required him to be seen by a doctor in response to his symptoms. By the time the facility finally responded to those symptoms and sent him to the hospital, it was too late, and he died the very next day. Evidence at trial put on display the extent to which the out-of-state corporations that owned and operated the facility were more focused more on financial outcomes than the well-being of the individuals in their facilities. The Greenup County jury held them accountable for the same, awarding both substantive compensatory and punitive damages in an effort to deter such conduct in the future. Circeo Law Firm is grateful to this family and these jurors for helping make Kentucky a safer place for the state’s most vulnerable, elderly residents.
- Jones v. Elizabethtown Health Facilities, L.P. d/b/a Elizabethtown Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, et. al.: $1.1 million verdict awarded to Kentucky victim of nursing home abuse, who developed severe infections, including sepsis and colitis and also suffered a severely fractured femur after receiving medically unnecessary therapy.
- Substantial arbitration award to Kentucky victim of nursing home abuse who suffered falls, including one resulting in catastrophic arm fractures.
- An eight-figure settlement for a victim of a fire in a joint products liability and premises liability case.
- An eight-figure settlement on behalf of a victim of electrocution from a power line.
- A seven-figure settlement obtained on behalf of a victim of negligent security.
Awards and Recognition
- Awarded the Peter Perlman Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award from the Kentucky Justice Association in September 2019. This honor recognizes legal professionals of exceptional talent who fight for the rights of consumers “even when cases and causes may be unpopular” and who give back to young lawyers and the legal profession.
- Selected to Thomson Reuters’ prestigious Super Lawyers® each year between 2013-14 and 2017-20, 2022-2024.
- Frequently asked to speak on various legal topics before respected legal organizations throughout the country, including the American Association for Justice, the Kentucky Justice Association, the Ohio Association for Justice, and numerous other groups.
- Frequently published on topics involving nursing home abuse and neglect, electrocution, and negligent security with outlets like The Courier-Journal, Insurance Journal, Kentucky Justice Association, Kentucky Law Journal, The Advocate, Kentucky Bench & Bar Magazine and others.
- Lisa has been recognized by “Best Lawyers” for 2024. Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication company in the legal profession.
- Lisa Circeo was recognized by the Kentucky Justice Association for her efforts in protecting Kentuckians’ 7th Amendment rights. She received the Finis Price Outstanding Board Member Award.
- Lisa has also been elected to the 2024 Kentucky Justice Association Board of Governors.
- Lisa won the 2024 Plaintiff Trial Lawyer of the Year from The Kentucky chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”) , which is an invitation-only organization of the highest caliber plaintiff and defense attorneys and judges.