V. v. Lutheran General Hospital

Birth Injury/Medical Malpractice: On March 10, 2004, Plaintiff was pregnant with her first child. Plaintiff presented to the emergency room at Lutheran General Hospital at approximately 6:00am due to the onset of active labor. Her daughter’s gestational age was 40 weeks and 5 days. Her daughter was delivered vaginally via vacuum extraction at 3:31pm by Isabel Gomez, M.D. Upon delivery, the baby was noted to have several serious health issues, namely the presence of meconium; neonatal depression; hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and seizure disorder. The baby spent three weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit before being discharged. Her daughter sustained a brain injury. As a result of her brain injury, Plaintiff’s daughter has speech problems; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; deficits in fine motor and gross motor skills necessitating braces (AFO) for walking.

D. v. Condell Medical Center, et al.

This case settled on the eve of trial in Lake County, Illinois for $7,500,000 for the negligent failure to diagnose and treat bacterial meningitis. This is the largest settlement in the history of Lake County, Illinois, and the largest sum of money ever paid in the history of Illinois involving bacterial meningitis.

D.S., Individually and as Independent Administrator of the Estate of E.S.,

Deceased v. NorthShore University HealthSystem d/b/a Highland Park Hospital, No. 13 L 010443 (Cook County)

(2016) Medical Malpractice: 29 year old female was prescribed Desmopressin because of a possible bleeding risk associated with Von Willebrand’s Disease prior to ophthalmologic surgery. This means that sodium levels will fall and can, if unmonitored, become significantly decreased. Surgery was performed and a second dose of Desmopressin was provided prior to discharge. Shortly after her discharge, she was returned to Highland Park Hospital’s ER. Staff in the ER realized her sodium was severely elevated. She was intubated and transferred to the ICU. Her pupils became dilated and fixed. Later a CT showed transtentorial herniation with brain stem compression. She passed away on December 10, 2012, survived by her husband and one year old daughter. Co-counsel with Joseph A. Power, Jr.

(2019) Medical Malpractice: 39-year-old female was visiting a family member at defendant hospital. As she was walking near a water fountain in the hospital hallway, she slipped and fell in a puddle of water. She was transported to the emergency department and it was determined that her knee had dislocated and that she lacked pulses in that leg. After vascular surgeon consultation, Plaintiff was transported to the intensive care unit instead of the operating room. Plaintiff was later brought to the OR after several hours. According to Plaintiff’s experts, the delay in care and treatment (fall to incision was 6 hours) resulted in inadequate blood flow which led to her above-the-knee amputation as her popliteal artery had been severed by her fall. Co-counsel with Thomas M. Power.

D. v. Loyola University of Chicago, etc.

On August 29, 1996, The Plaintiffs were visiting their daughter in Lyle, Illinois when D. began complaining to severe back pain. An ambulance was called and he was transported to Edwards Hospital in Naperville, Illinois. After an initial diagnosis of descending aortic aneurysm with dissection, D. was transferred to Loyola University Medical Center on August 30th. During this hospitalization, D. was further evaluated and scheduled for cardiac surgery. On September 3rd, while hospitalized and awaiting surgery, D. experienced cardiac arrest and an anoxic episode that rendered him comatose. As a result of not being properly monitored while on Propofol. He is now 68 years old, lives with his wife, but suffers from permanent brain damage.

S vs. University of Chicago

Plaintiff’s Decedent was diagnosed with breast cancer. During a biopsy of her breast she experienced an anaphylaxis attack according to the defense and medical examiner or a pulmonary embolus according to plaintiff. The plaintiff further alleged a DVT or pulmonary embolus was never ruled out.

During the hospitalization she was placed on Heparin prophylaxis which was later discontinued because of a suspected adverse reaction (HIT) without ordering an alternative anticoagulant. She experienced a fatal pulmonary embolus two days later.

She was a school teacher who left surviving a husband and daughter.

JURY VERDICT: $7,250,000.00

Last Offer: $2,000,000.00

G. v. Skokie Valley Community Hospital

After sustaining numerous injuries in a motorcycle accident, including a C-2 “hangman’s” fracture and bruising of his spinal cord, student ended up paralyzed as a result of the failure to adequately replace his blood lost in the accident and appropriately intubate him.

Affirmed on Appeal 91-1742, 269 Ill.App.3d 37, 645 N.E.2d 319 (1994)

Jury Verdict: $7,012,000.00

K. v. Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation

On April 27, 2004, K., a 57-year-old medical malpractice defense lawyer with the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson, underwent a stress test at an office location near his home. The stress test was ordered by his internist at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation. The stress test results were faxed and mailed to the Faculty Foundation. However, the test results were not reviewed due to an administrative error and K. was never advised that the results were abnormal and required cardiac catheterization. He experienced sudden cardiac death on August 9, 2004.

Verdict as lead trial counsel on behalf of the wife and children of a 49-year-old man who died as a result of the negligent failure to review his known and documented medical history of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. That negligence resulted in the patient not receiving life-saving anti-coagulants resulting in the gentleman developing a new onset of deep vein thrombosis, experiencing a pulmonary embolism and dying two days later. (2007)

Defense: Denied that standard of care required anticoagulants, denied that patient was at risk of suffering a pulmonary embolism, denied that prescribing anti-coagulants would have made a difference and, and denied degree of loss to family.

VERDICT: $7 Million

Settlement Demand: $3 Million

Settlement Offer: $1.2 Million

Plaintiff was born at 25.5 weeks. At 11 days of life, plaintiff contracted three blood borne infections. Plaintiff deteriorated and ultimately suffered a hypoxic event as a result of the infection. Plaintiff developed periventricular leukomalacia or PVL. Plaintiff alleged that the defendants were negligent in performing the hygiene and sanitary procedures in the NICU unit which led to plaintiff’s infection. Plaintiff further alleged that the defendant Dr. Siddiqui, a neonatologist, and the nursing staff failed to respond timely to identify and treat the infections. Plaintiff alleged that the cause of plaintiff’s PVL was the hypoxic event arising from the infection and not the plaintiff’s prematurity. Plaintiff has been diagnosed with permanent brain damage and requires 24 hour care. Plaintiff’s medical bills to date exceed $1,000,000.00. Defendant contended that the risk of infection is common in neonates, that the PVL was caused by the plaintiff’s prematurity of 25.5 weeks and not the infection and that the plaintiff has a substantially reduced life expectancy.