TJR, Individually and as Independent Administrator of the Estate of JJ, Deceased v. The University of Chicago Medical Center

(2014) Medical Malpractice: 21 year old African-American male was shot in the head and a few months later, while at home, experienced episodes of agitation and confusion. He was taken to The University of Chicago where he was hospitalized for a few weeks, trying to identify the cause. After ruling out a number of conditions, healthcare providers diagnosed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). One of the treatments for ADEM is therapeutic plasma exchanges, known as PLEX therapy. PLEX therapy has the side effect of prolonging clotting times as blood factors and other impurities are removed through the plasma exchange process. After receiving his fourth and final PLEX therapy, the large bore Quinton catheter in his right internal jugular was removed. This decision violated the standard of care according to Plaintiff’s experts as it exposed the patient to significant bleeding and the potential for air embolism. Here, coughing and bleeding occurred over the next few hours. Later in the evening a Code event occurred followed hours later by another Code event and the patient’s death. Plaintiff contended that air embolism took place when the Quinton catheter was removed, allowing air to be entrapped as continued bleeding occurred from the internal jugular vein resulting in the patient coughing, sweating and ultimately experiencing radiographic changes in his lungs. Patient is survived by his mother and father and three half sisters and a half brother.Result: $2,000,000.00

HH, Individually and as Executor of the Estate of JH, Deceased v. St. James Hospital, et al.

(2007) Medical Malpractice: 60 year old male negligently discharged from the emergency room at St. James Hospital at Olympia Fields on November 9, 2002 after falling while getting out of a vehicle on his driveway at home. JH was brought to the hospital by paramedics, having been unconscious prior to their arrival at his home. Because of his history of Coumadin use, a CT was taken, the result revealed no bleeding and JH was discharged one hour later. JH re-presented to the hospital five and a half hours later. He was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma (a delayed bleed) which took his life. JH was survived by his wife and adult daughter.

Result: $2,000,000.00

RM DM v. Michael D. Kornblatt, M.D., et al.

(2005) Medical Malpractice: RM, age 48, experienced incomplete quadriplegia on December 23, 1998 when his cervical discs herniated into a congenitally narrowed spiral canal. Drs. Kornblatt (orthopedic surgeon) and Katz (chiropractor) failed to refer RM for an MRI between December 11 and December 23 1998 when they were advised of his neck pain symptoms with radiation into his right arm. Instead, RMr was provided with therapies and medication when he required surgery before permanent injury resulted.

Result: $2,000,000.00

C.P. v. A Chicagoland Area Hospital

Medical Malpractice: A 52-year old male was under general anesthesia at an outpatient surgical center for excision of a benign mass on his neck. During the surgery, a fire erupted causing burns to his face. Plaintiff contended the fire began when the cautery device contacted the surgical drapes and was drawn to the open oxygen source near the patient’s face. Plaintiff’s anesthesiology expert opined that the use of any supplemental oxygen was unnecessary, as evidenced by the patient’s end tidal oxygen concentrations near 100 at the time of incision and throughout the surgery, and that had oxygen not been used, the fire would not have occurred.

Recovery: $2,000,000.00

Medical negligence/wrongful death: 67 year-old male underwent elective surgery to remove a previously placed orthopedic spinal cage that had become dislodged. Plaintiff alleged the access surgeon negligently caused vessel injury upon retractor placement. Thereafter, Plaintiff alleged that the access surgeon and hospital staff failed to timely recognize, address, and correct resultant vessel bleeding, causing patient’s death due to exsanguination hours after the surgery concluded.

EB as Special Administrator of the Estate of CB, Deceased v. St. James Hospital, et al.

(2009) Medical Malpractice: 54 year old male (survived by his brother) presented to emergency room after being struck by a drunk driver who crossed the center line. Emergency room staff failed to diagnose and treat internal injuries but rather discharged him which led to his death from liver and spleen lacerations.

Result: $1,750,000.00

MRA, Special Administrator of the Estate of FA, deceased v. Visuit V. Vivekaphirat, M.D., Individually and as an agent of St. Francis Hospital of Evanston; and St. Francis Hospital of Evanston

(2004) Medical Malpractice: 64 year old female underwent single vessel balloon angioplasty following an acute myocardial infarction. After the initial angioplasty, occlusion resulted in a second angioplasty with stent deployment. Coronary perforation occurred and a cardiovascular surgeon was not notified in a timely fashion to prevent her death.

Result: $1,750,000.00

LS and AS v. Abdul Amine, M.D., A Local Community Home Health Agency, and  A Local Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Facility, No. 2016 L 004271 (Cook County)

(2019) Medical Malpractice: The Plaintiff, a 62-year-old male, presented to a local community hospital for complaints relating to his Stage 4 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. During workup, fractures were identified in his spine associated with coughing and steroid use by treating physicians. One of those fractures was causing spinal cord compromise and a kyphoplasty was performed by Abdul Amine, M.D. Following the kyphoplasty, neurologic signs and symptoms developed but were not identified by Dr. Amine nor staff at a Local Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Facility nor Home Healthcare Nurses, ultimately resulting in paraparesis.

Medical Malpractice/ Wrongful Death: Plaintiffs allege that Decedent was admitted for a routine hip replacement surgery. During his post-operative, inpatient treatment, his care providers failed to recognize the presence of an ileus and, after Decedent began to experience difficulty breathing, the anesthesia service attempted an intubation but failed to protect Decedent’s airway, which caused Decedent to go into cardiac arrest and pass away.

(2023 – Cook County)
C.B. v. Local Rehabilitation Facility

Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death: Decedent was an inpatient at a Local Rehabilitation Facility, after suffering a ruptured aneurysm and brain injury and undergoing an aneurysm coiling procedure at an outside institution. During her inpatient stay at the Rehab Facility, she initially required supplemental oxygen administration via a tracheostomy collar. Decedent was discovered with her tracheostomy collar detached and without a pulse. Plaintiff alleged that the soft upper limb restraints were not properly placed, thereby allowing Decedent to decannulate herself. Plaintiff further alleged that Decedent’s care providers failed to timely and appropriately respond to the pulse-oximeter alarm, leading to anoxic injuries and her death five days later. Co-counsel with Joseph W. Balesteri.