In June 2006, Josh Tunca was a surgeon at Northwest Community Hospital specializing in gynecologic oncology. While in surgery, Dr. Tunca removed an ovarian tumor. Later, the patient lost the pulse in her left leg due to a clog in her femoral artery. Dr. Thomas Painter, a vascular surgeon, was…
Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney Blog
$1.15 Million Jury Verdict for Patient with Chest Pain Leading to Fatal Heart Attack; Herring v. Blake
William Herring, 59, had a history of severe coronary artery disease. Complaining of chest pain, Herring was seen by his internist, Wayne Blake, M.D. Herring said his chest pain was relieved by belching. At the doctor’s office, an electrocardiogram was done, which showed that Herring had normal rhythms. Dr. Blake…
$20 Million Paid by Cook County to Family of Boy Who Suffered Brain Damage; Payment will Ensure Lifelong Care
Cook County commissioners voted Feb. 5, 2013, to pay $24 million in hospital malpractice settlements. Of that total, $20 million will be paid to the family of a boy who suffered brain damage after a heart attack following surgery at a Chicago hospital. A lawsuit was filed against Stroger Hospital…
Illinois Supreme Court Decides Arbitration Rights in Nursing Home Death Case; Carter v. SSC Odin Operating Co.
Sue Carter brought Joyce Gott to the Odin Nursing Home in 2005. Carter signed an arbitration agreement as Gott’s “legal representative.” Gott also signed an arbitration agreement with Odin after she was admitted to the nursing home facility. Carter’s lawsuit filed against Odin claimed that the nursing home’s negligence caused…
LASIK Surgery Mishap Leads to Jury Verdict of $362,274; Spevak v. Doctors for Visual Freedom
Tracy Spevak had undergone a LASIK surgery on her right eye once before. However, in January 2007, the defendant ophthalmologist did a LASIK surgery to attempt to enhance vision in Tracy’s right eye. During the surgery, Dr. Mark Golden, the defendant ophthalmologist, chose to re-cut the original LASIK flap, causing…
Illinois Appellate Court Rejects Emergency Room Doctor’s Claim That He is Immune under the Good Samaritan Act
The Illinois Good Samaritan Act (745 ILCS 49/25 (West 2010)) states that a medical professional who, in good faith, “provides emergency care without fee to a person” should be immune from civil damages except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct. Immunity from suit was the position taken by…
3.1 Million Jury Verdict for Death of Patient Following Heart Procedure; Estate of Teague v. Holy Cross Hospital
Lillie Teague, 74, underwent an angiogram, which is an x-ray exam that uses a dye and camera to look at the blood flow in an artery or vein. Many angiograms are used to examine the arteries near the heart, lungs, brain and the aorta. The procedure requires the use of…
Nursing Home Visits Key to the Mental Health of Residents
Especially during the holidays, it is so important to visit loved ones, family members and friends who are residents of nursing home facilities, assisted living facilities and hospice care facilities. Nursing home residents who are surrounded by family and concerned friends always are uplifted. Too many times residents of nursing…
428,000 Cook County Verdict for Misread X-ray; Drummond v. Dr. Brossard
In a lawsuit resulting in a Cook County jury verdict, it was alleged by plaintiff Ryan Drummond that in August 2004, the defendant, Dr. Robert Brossard, a radiologist, chose not to correctly interpret x-rays of Drummond’s right hand. In addition, it was claimed that Dr. Brossard missed a fracture of…
$67.5 Million Shareholder Settlement with Pfizer over Pristiq
A class-action lawsuit brought by a named plaintiff, City of Livonia Employees’ Retirement System, has resulted in a $67.5 million settlement of the class-action lawsuit brought by former shareholders of Wyeth, Inc. The lawsuit alleged that shareholders were misled about the risks associated with the antidepressant, Pristiq. The settlement was…