L.T. v. Cook County Stroger Hospital

On May 10, 2013, Plaintiff’s Decedent (F-55) presented to Cook County Stroger Hospital for the purposes of undergoing a pacemaker insertion surgery due to her chronic cardiac condition. Post-surgical bleeding was encountered and the Plaintiff’s Decedent remained an inpatient through June 2, 2013, at which point she was discharged home. She re-presented four days later complaining of shortness of breath. She suffered an arrest the following morning and died as a result of pneumonia and hypovolemic shock. Plaintiff contended that a surgical evacuation and/or blood transfusions should have been undertaken upon Decedent’s re-presentation to Stroger hospital, prior to her arrest. The Decedent is survived by her husband and four adult children.

M. v. S&Z Development Co., et al.

A 29-year old carpenter, fell through a skylight hole 38-feet to his death while erecting a skylight on a penthouse roof at the Eugenie Terrace Development. This was the largest verdict for a wrongful death of a tradesman in Illinois. It is also the largest wrongful death verdict under the Structural Work Act in Illinois history. The decedent left a wife and a 5-year old son.

D.E. v. Service Partners, LLC, et al

Wrongful death and trucking negligence verdict. On April 23, 2008, Plaintiff’s decedent was operating a motorcycle eastbound on Rte. 38 with his wife, Plaintiff, D. E., as a passenger on their way to work at Northern Illinois University at approximately 7:45 a.m. when Defendant, Gerald W. Hemker, who was operating a semi-tractor trailer, as an employee and/or agent of Defendant, Service Partners, LLC, westbound on Rte. 38 attempted to turn left off of westbound Rte. 38 onto the southbound ramp for I-39 in front of the motorcycle. The motorcycle struck near the middle of the semi-tractor trailer on the passenger side of the truck. The decedent sustained multiple blunt trauma to his head, chest, and pelvis which led to his death that day. The Plaintiff sustained multiple open pelvic fractures with disruption of the pelvic circle, closed fracture of eight or more ribs, acute pulmonary collapse, closed fracture of sacrum or coccyx, contusion of genital organ, pneumothorax and contusion of lung. She has had a number of surgeries. She also has drop foot and is required to use support devices.

The jury returned a verdict of $5,000,000.00 to the Plaintiff for her disfigurement, loss of normal life, pain and suffering, emotional distress, services received, and present cash value of future services. The jury returned a verdict of $1,000,000.00 reduced by 50% contributory negligence for the wrongful death of the decedent.

Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power, Jr., and Todd A. Smith.

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.

P.P. on behalf of L.T. v. City of Chicago

L.T. was returning home from picking up lunch for her two young children when she was struck and killed by a vehicle that had fled from a traffic stop and was involved in a collision while being chased by Chicago Police Officers.  The vehicle was initially stopped for its failure to have a license plate affixed to its front, and the Officer’s General Orders prohibited them from chasing the vehicle after it fled the stop.  The chase itself unfolded over 3 city blocks, and the defense contended that due to its short duration, the city should not be held liable for L.T.’s death. Larry and James were able to establish that the General Orders prohibit chasing under these circumstances and that the duration of the pursuit is insignificant because the officers knew or should have known that their pursuit encourages reckless driving.  After initially refusing to settle the case, the parties were able to reach a $4,500,000 settlement just before the start of opening statements.

(2017) Medical Malpractice: 42 year old male underwent successful bilateral lung transplant on December 27, 2015. On January 11 and 12, 2016, while his tracheotomy tube was capped for the first time overnight, his vitals were inadequately monitored and he experienced respiratory arrest that led to cardiac arrest which resulted in his death on January 12, 2016. He is survived by his wife and 3 children.

On May 23, 2014 a concrete slab being moved by a crane at a Chicago construction project fell on plaintiff ironworker, age 46, causing severe injuries that claimed his life hours later. (2016)

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022 GMC Acadia sport utility vehicle, driven by defendant, was northbound on Illinois State Highway 394 (IL-394) approaching the Interstate I-94 interchange merge. At the same time, a silver 2016 Nissan Versa was disabled and parked in the interchange gore (painted median) between IL-394 and I-94 with its emergency hazard lights flashing. Its driver, the decedent, was sitting in the driver’s seat, waiting for a tow truck to remove the Nissan from the road. The GMC crossed out of the through traffic lane to the right into the gore. There it rear-ended the Nissan. After impact, both vehicles traveled northwest and stopped, blocking the northbound I-94 lanes of traffic. Co-counsel with Jonathan M. Thomas.

The case arises out of a wrongful death cause of action which alleges that physicians who treated plaintiff after he underwent a cervical C3-C6 laminectomy and fusion on May 11, 2018.   Thereafter on May 25th, he was noted to be hypotensive, the resuscitation team was called to the bedside, hes was intubated, and after intubation, he was unable to move or feel his arms and legs extremities.    He succumbed to his injuries and died on October 24, 2018 of complications.

Together with Joseph A. Power, Jr.- March 13, 2002 nursing staff failed to monitor plaintiff age 48, during his hospitalization for meningitis and failed to react to an abnormal pulse oximeter reading, allowing him to die from respiratory compromise due to Dilaudid. JAP