$4.45 Million Settlement Reached in Negligent Placement of Child Lawsuit

Doe, age 12, was removed from her mother’s home. The Devereux Foundation placed Doe in a home of the child’s estranged father, who had a verified history of sexually abusing a minor. During the next year-and-a-half, Doe’s father allegedly raped Doe.

Doe, through a representative, filed suit against The Devereux Foundation, alleging negligent placement in an unsafe environment, choosing not to complete a home study and reunification report, and deciding not to remove her from the home after information came to light regarding her father’s history and after a review revealed that mistakes have been made during the course of her placement.

The lawsuit also named Eckerd Youth Alternatives Inc., which performed the background screening on Doe’s father and had subcontracted Doe’s placement to The Devereux Foundation, alleging that Eckerd failed to ensure that Devereux had adequately performed its responsibilities.

Before trial, the parties settled the case for $4.45 million. Eckerd paid $900,000 and The Devereux Foundation paid the remaining balance.

The attorneys successfully handling this tragic lawsuit were Jarrett L. DeLuca, Francisco Viñas and Frank Fernandez III.

Doe v. Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc., No. 2016-CA-0087883 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Hillsborough County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling foster care negligence lawsuits, medical negligence cases, birth trauma injury lawsuits, brain injury lawsuits, nursing home abuse lawsuits, assisted living cases and long-term care facility lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of a medical provider for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Arlington Heights, Calumet City, Bensenville, Darien, Gurnee, Homewood, Olympia Fields, Highwood, Winnetka, Alsip, Blue Island, Rosemont, Lincolnwood, Chicago (Uptown, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Budlong Woods, Buena Park, Roscoe Village, West DePaul, Wrigleyville, Chinatown, South Loop, University Village, Douglas Park, East Ukrainian Village, Palmer Square, Lakeview), Glenview, Glencoe, Highland Park, Bolingbrook, Lincolnshire, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Crestwood, Forest Park and Oak Park, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.