A former high-level employee alleges she was demoted and ultimately fired by her employer after raising concerns about the owner’s conduct, according to a federal complaint seeking damages and equitable relief. The complaint was filed by Elizabeth Jones in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on April 15, 2026, naming Hope Neurological & Medical Services LLC as the defendant.
According to the filing, Jones began working for Hope Neurological & Medical Services in June 2021 in business development before assuming clinical duties. In 2024, she was promoted to Director of Neurological Diagnostics and Therapeutic Services, a vice-president level position. The dispute centers on events that began when Arturo De La Torre, identified as the organizer and owner of Hope Neurological & Medical Services, allegedly attempted to start a romantic relationship with Jones’s younger sister.
The complaint states that during this period, De La Torre sent text messages to Jones describing his attraction toward her sister and involved Jones in his efforts to pursue her sibling. These actions reportedly made Jones uncomfortable. The document further alleges that between April 2024 and March 2025, Jones repeatedly expressed concerns about De La Torre’s behavior to then-President Lindsay Tighe and shared specific details from these text messages. She also raised concerns regarding potential repercussions for her employment if the relationship between De La Torre and her sister did not develop as he wished or ended unfavorably.
In addition to reporting these matters, Jones informed Tighe that De La Torre had kissed another employee at a company event and offered to fly that employee to Miami. These concerns were also shared with Donna Cooper, who served as the company’s human resources representative at the time.
The situation escalated after March 20, 2025, when Jones’s sister rejected De La Torre’s advances. The next day, De La Torre cancelled Jones’s company credit card without explanation. When Jones sought clarification from Tighe and Cooper but received none, she informed Cooper that she believed this action was retaliatory due to her complaints about De La Torre’s conduct.
According to the filing, De La Torre then called Jones stating “how fucking dare you” regarding her complaint of retaliation and threatened her employment with Hope Neurological & Medical Services. On April 4, 2025, the company demoted Jones from her vice president title; Cooper reportedly told her this decision was not related to job performance. Ultimately, on June 26, 2025, Hope terminated Jones’s employment.
Jones asserts in her complaint that these actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by constituting unlawful retaliation for engaging in protected activity—specifically complaining about conduct she reasonably believed violated civil rights protections. She claims that the reasons given for her demotion and termination were pretextual and that she suffered damages as a direct result of these actions.
The lawsuit seeks several forms of relief: a permanent injunction against further discriminatory practices; judgment in favor of Jones; compensation for lost wages and benefits; compensatory damages for mental or emotional distress; punitive damages for alleged willful violations; front pay until comparable employment is obtained; attorney’s fees; expert witness fees; costs associated with the action; a jury trial on all triable issues; and any additional relief deemed proper by the court.
Elizabeth Jones is represented by Dean R. Fuchs of Schulten Ward Turner & Weiss LLP. The case is identified as Civil Action File No. 1:26-cv-02062-TWT-RGV.
Source: 126cv02062_Elizabeth_Jones_v_Hope_Neurological_Complaint_Northern_District_Of_Georgia.pdf
