This confidential settlement took place because of the death of a 62- year-old man who had a long history of smoking. He was also obese. The patient, who we will call Mr. Doe, suffered lethargy, a fever and general weakness, and he also had sharp chest pain for two days.…
Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney Blog
Internist’s Failure to Rule Out Stroke Results in $6.37 Million Jury Verdict
Myrna Rawdin underwent an MRI to rule out a brain tumor. She was 63 years old at the time. The MRI results showed no tumor, but it did not rule out a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Over one year later, when she experienced lightheadedness, garbled speech and headaches lasting three…
$514,000 Jury Verdict Entered in Wrongful Death for Failure to Diagnose Internal Bleeding
Paul Bartholomew, 73, had a history of prostate cancer and placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter to protect him from blood clots. Ten years after receiving the IVC filter, he reported he had blood in his urine. When he saw his family physician, Dr. Ina Itzkovitz, she prescribed…
$940,000 Jury Verdict in Failure to Diagnose Infant’s Dehydration
Perry Pace was seven weeks old when he experienced viral symptoms, including chronic diarrhea and frequent vomiting for one week. Perry was transported by ambulance to a hospital emergency room where he was seen by an emergency physician, Dr. Patrick Hawley. The doctor examined Perry and diagnosed a viral infection…
$842,000 Jury Verdict for Patient Injured in Fall in Hospital
On Aug. 17, 2012, 66-year-old Maria Giotta underwent an outpatient CT scan with contrast at the Presence Resurrection Hospital. She began to experience an adverse reaction to the contrast solution during the scan, but the CT technician chose not to recognize or appreciate her dilemma. The CT technician discharged her…
Illinois Supreme Court Interprets Section 10 of the Health Care Services Lien Act and Overturns Stanton
A trial judge in Jackson County, Ill., refused to follow the case law found in Stanton v. Rea, 2012 IL App (5th) 110187 when calculating the amount of the hospital’s lien amount. In the case of Alma McVey, who was injured after a waitress dropped a tray of drinks on…
Illinois Supreme Court Affirms General Rule That Suicide is an Unforeseeable Event That Breaks the Causal Chain in Both Negligent and Intentional Torts
On May 21, 2015, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed a general rule as a matter of law with respect to suicide. Maria Turcios brought a wrongful death lawsuit based on her husband’s suicide. The lawsuit alleged that it was caused by the defendant’s intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit…
$3 Million Arbitration Award in Case of Negligent Treatment of Angle Closure Glaucoma
In a confidential arbitration and settlement, Mr. Doe, age 64, suffered severe injuries in a car accident. Doe was taken to a hospital where he was diagnosed as having angle closure glaucoma, a condition in which the iris bulges forward to block the eye’s drainage system. Mr. Doe was given…
U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms Summary Judgment in Causation Expert Qualifications for an Injury Suffered Because of Inhaled Chlorine Gas
Kent Higgins inhaled chlorine gas at the Holiday World Amusement Park when the ride he was on malfunctioned. Higgins suffered chronic asthma and reactive airways dysfunction syndrome, or RADS, as a result of the alleged negligence of the defendant, Koch Development, the owner of Holiday World Amusement Park. Higgins, the…
Misdiagnosis by a Physician Employed at a Government Controlled Facility is Immune Under the Illinois Tort Immunity Statute
Koni Johnson filed suit against two emergency physicians and their employer, Cook County, alleging the doctors were negligent in their treatment of her spinal cord injury. She had gone to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, a/k/a Cook County Hospital a day after she slipped and fell injuring her back. Johnson…