Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney Blog

Nine years ago Josie King lost her 18-month-old daughter as a result of medical negligence. She has since turned this tragedy into something positive, as she has become a major advocate in the prevention of further medical negligence. King has used her own personal experiences to become a voice in the fight for better communication among hospitals and doctors.

King's daughter was being treated at John Hopkins Hospital for severe burns when she received a methadone shot that resulted in her brain death. The medical negligence in King's case was due to the fact that her daughter was not meant to get the shot - the doctor had cancelled the order for it, but a nurse gave it to King's daughter anyway.

The King family brought a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and have used the settlement they received to start the Josie King Foundation in memory of their daughter. This foundation focuses on increasing patient safety programs in hospitals and doctor offices.

Continue reading "Mother Whose Daughter Died Due to Medical Malpractice Becomes Advocate for Patient Safety" »

A recent Illinois medical malpractice lawsuit received an $11.5 million award from a DuPage County jury. The Illinois medical negligence case included a birth injury claim regarding the demise of the plaintiff mother's unborn child and an additional medical negligence claim regarding the loss of the mother's small intestine. The negligence lawsuit against Naperville's Edward Hospital was filed in DuPage County.

The Illinois medical malpractice lawsuit began when Sabine Miller, the plaintiff mother, presented to Edward Hospital at 14 weeks pregnant complaining of abdominal pains. Despite being in the second trimester of her pregnancy Miller was admitted to the hospital's postpartum unit, which typically manages the care and treatment of mothers after the child has already been born.

The medical issues involved during the prenatal period versus the postpartum period are drastically different and require different types of care and treatment. The most drastic difference being that during the prenatal period the baby is still inside the mother and therefore cannot be monitored by way of external monitoring. Instead, during the prenatal period the infant's condition is typically assessed using fetal heart monitoring strips, which record both baby's heart rate, the mother's contractions, if any, and typically include notations of the mother's vital signs.

Continue reading "DuPage County, Illinois Mother Recieves $11 Million Jury Verdict for Death of Unborn Child" »

A Chicago federal judge entered a Chicago medical malpractice verdict in the amount of $8,8330,182 against the United States following a bench trial. In July 2004, Ernesto Maldonado was a patient at Chicago's Mount Sinai Hospital. He was admitted because of pneumonia. A few days after the admission, a CT scan was done of Maldonado's chest and back. The scans revealed destruction of a vertebral body in the mid-thoracic spine (T-7). Maldonado v. United States of America, et al., 06 C 4149 (January 2010).

The radiology report stated that the vertebra was destroyed. But neither Maldonado's treating doctor, interventional radiologist, nor infectious disease physician ever followed up with treatment. The patient was never referred to an orthopedic surgeon or for a neurosurgery consultation. Five days later Mr. Maldonado was discharged and antibiotics were discontinued.

The plaintiff, Mr. Maldonado then attempted to see his attending physician at his office. But this doctor refused to see him. By August 14, 2004 the plaintiff had lost sensation in his low legs and he became urine incontinent.

Continue reading "Spinal Infection Leads To Paraplegia - $8 Million Medical Malpractice Verdict in Maldonado v. United States of America, et al." »

A Chicago area nursing home has settled an Illinois nursing home negligence case brought by the family of an 87 year old Illinois woman who developed bone infection after her skin broke down. She died six months later. Alberta Jones had been a resident at the Mercy Health Care Rehabilitation Center in Homewood, Illinois. Moffett v. Mercy Health Care Rehabilitation Center, 06 L 11430 Circuit Court of Cook County, 2010)

Ms. Jones was in the nursing home because she had a stroke. She was a known fall risk which required her to be assisted for her daily living. That would mean a Mercy Health Care employee would help Ms. Jones to the bathroom, to her wheel chair, to her meals and to her physical therapy sessions.

During her stay at Mercy, Ms. Jones fractured her femur when she fell unattended. During the bone's healing process, she was fitted with a brace. Because of the tight fit, her skin began to break down when the device rubbed against her leg. Over a period of time, Ms. Jones developed osteomyelitis, or a bone infection. Her health declined and then she died, leaving an adult daughter surviving her.

Continue reading "Cook County Nursing Home Negligence and Wrongful Death Case Settled for Resident's Death After Fall Leads To Bone Infection-Moffett v. Mercy Health Care" »

A recent Illinois nursing home negligence settlement deals with a recurring issue in many Chicago nursing home abuse cases - the development of pressure sores, also known as bed sores or decubitus ulcers. In Clapman v. Manorcare Health Services, Inc., the plaintiff brought a claim against an Illinois nursing home after she developed a large sacral pressure ulcer. The Illinois nursing home abuse case settled for $650,000 prior to trial.

In Clapman, the plaintiff alleged that the nursing home failed to develop a plan of care to prevent the plaintiff from developing pressure ulcers. Essentially, whenever a patient is recognized as being at risk for developing pressure sores, or any other type of skin breakdown, the medical providers have a responsibility to develop a plan, referred to as a plan of care, to try and prevent the at risk issue from occurring.

While the nursing staff at Manorcare did develop a plan of care for the plaintiff, it failed to include any provisions to prevent the development of pressure sores. This lack of a prevention plan was the main issue in Clapman and was what the plaintiff attributed her eventual osteomyelitis to.

Continue reading "Illinois Nursing Home Fails to Develop Skin Care Plan to Prevent Bed Sores and Decubitus Ulcers- Settlement Reached in Clapman v. Manorcare Health Services, Inc." »