(2021) Medical Malpractice: A 59-year-old male presented to a Local Community Hospital for an elective carotid endarterectomy. Following the surgery, blood pressure fluctuations required continued hospitalization. On post-operative day two, there were significantly elevated blood pressures. That evening, signs and symptoms consistent with an expanding neck hematoma developed- a risk of a carotid surgery. With difficulty swallowing and problems breathing, a Rapid Response Team was called to the bedside. A few hours later, a Code Blue occurred when the undiagnosed neck hematoma obstructed his airway causing brain injury leading to death. The decedent is survived by his adult son and his wife.

Decedent was a resident of James Sneider Apartments.  From May 8, 2022 through May 14, 2022, they operated the heating system at the building during abnormally warm weather in Chicago, causing temperatures in the apartments to reach over 103 degrees.  Despite management days of complaints and high temperatures, building management did not turn off the heat nor turn it down.  

O. v. COUNTY OF COOK

A 50-year-old woman died in March 2001 after doctors at Cook County Hospital allegedly overlooked indications of cervical cancer that showed up in test results. Plaintiff attorneys said the woman’s Pap smears in 1996 showed the possibility of cervical cancer, but the hospital failed to run additional tests that could have confirmed cancer while there was still time to treat it. Doctors identified the cancer in 2001, while the woman was undergoing a hysterectomy and when it was too late to treat it.

D.F. v. Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver

D.F. was on his way home from school and jaywalking across a main street in Chicago when he was clipped by a portion of a wide load hanging over the side of the defendant’s trailer and pulled underneath the trailers back tires. D.F. died as a result of the incident. After initially refusing to settle the case, Larry Rogers, Jr. and James Power were able to prove that the Defendants failed to properly equip the trailer with flags to warn of the overhang and that it was this failure that caused D.F.’s death.

Decedent, a 21 y/o male, was jaywalking across North Avenue when a truck driven by truck driver with a wide load came into contact with  DF when it clipped him with one or more portions of the crane it was hauling which was protruding out from the side of the trailer, causing him to be flipped into the air and  run over by the back tires on the driver’s side of the aforementioned trailer.  Plaintiff alleged the tractor trailer operator was hauling a wide load which was not properly marked with flags and placards and failed to yield to a pedestrian. Co-counsel with James I. Power.

December 4, 2001 a 480-volt electrical panel at the Neiman Marcus store in Northbrook exploded while plaintiff, age 55, was an electrician and testing it. Plaintiff suffered 3rd degree burns over 95% of body resulting in death, survived by wife and 2 adult children. (2008)

R.L. v. Security Services Company (2017)

In December of 2017, Power, Rogers & Smith Attorney James Power secured a $5.05 million dollar verdict on behalf of a legal secretary who was shot in the foot and who witnessed the murder of two of her co-workers, her boss and another lawyer at the firm, by a deranged ex-client. Mr. Power’s client case was consolidated with three other cases brought by the victims and was a part of an overall $33,450,000 verdict obtained on behalf of all plaintiffs in their cases against the private contract security company that allowed the deranged ex-client access to the upper level tenant floors of the building where the plaintiffs worked.

Trucking negligence settlement. On January 7, 2007 the defendant’s semi-tractor trailer driver failed to stop for slowing traffic on southbound I-65 at mile marker 138 in Boone County, IN, and rear-ended the plaintiff’s vehicle. The plaintiff’s husband died and she suffered right radial and ulnar fractures requiring surgical repairs.

Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power, Jr.

Motor vehicle negligence settlement. On July 6, 2006 the defendant’s van driver had a blood alcohol above the legal limit, when he crossed the grassy center median of I-55 in Plainfield Township, and struck the Plaintiff’s decedent’s northbound car head on, causing multiple blunt force trauma resulting in death. She was survived by her husband and 2 adult children.

Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power Jr.

L.S. v. Susan Ruda, et al.

(2016) Medical Malpractice: 58 year old female underwent a total left knee replacement procedure at a suburban hospital. Post procedure arterial insufficiency was not recognized until three days later. L.S. was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where it was discovered that the popliteal artery and popliteal vein had been transected during the knee replacement surgery. It was too late to repair the damage and an above knee amputation resulted. Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power, Jr.