Estate of Curtis Cooper v. Urban Property Advisers Case No. 08 L 007181 – Circuit Court of Cook County Illinois. $2,000,000
Jan 01, 2013
OUTCOME: Settled for $2,000,000
Curtis was a three-year-old riding his tricycle at the Cabrini-Green housing project when a large metal gate fell and crushed him to death. The CHA and its management company, UPA, were aware that the ...gates were in poor condition and that children routinely used them as swings but no action was taken. The lawsuit was settled for $2,000,000.00 after an expert metallurgist hired by Donald A. Shapiro, Ltd. examined the gate and found the welds to be defective.
Personal injury
Estate of Francisco Moreno Garcia v. Archer Daniels Midland, Case # 07 L 142, Macon County, Illinois
Jun 28, 2011
OUTCOME: Jury verdict for $6,741,731 affirmed by Appellate Court
26 year old contract laborer working at the ADM plant in Decatur received 3rd degree burns over 90% of his body when pressure valves failed on a recompressor machine and sprayed him with hot liquid. Ma...chine had been taken out of service previously due to a valve failure but never properly repaired. Francisco died the next day, leaving his parents and 5 siblings, all in Mexico.
Medical malpractice
Estate of Narin Bun v. Provena St. Joseph Hospital, Case # 03 LK 265, Kane County, IL
Jul 12, 2006
OUTCOME: Verdict for $ 24,775,000.00
Narin was a 37 year old accountant, wife and mother who had been hospitalized for an infection but was recovering and no longer needed a central catheter that had been placed for antibiotic therapy. A ...Provena nurse carelessly removed the catheter such that air was allowed to enter the vein causing a pulmonary embolism that led to a cardio-pulmonary arrest with resulting brain injury. The jury's award of $24,775,000.00 was over four times the previous record malpractice verdict for Kane County.
Medical malpractice
SIPHO BUN v. PROVENA ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL Case No. 03 LK 265 – Kane County, Illinois
N/A
OUTCOME: $24,775,000 verdict
Narin was a thirty-seven-year-old wife and mother of three children who went to Provena St. Joseph Hospital due to a severe toxic infection. A central venous catheter was placed to facilitate antibioti...c therapy but after several weeks the infection had cleared and she no longer needed the antibiotics so the doctor ordered the catheter removed. A nurse carelessly removed the catheter so that air was sucked into the vein causing an air embolism which led to cardio-pulmonary arrest and permanent brain damage. The jury’s award of $24,775,000.00 was the largest personal injury verdict in the history of Kane County–the previous high verdict was $6,000,000.00.
Civil rights
ESTATE OF ROBERT ANTHONY RUSS v. CITY OF CHICAGO AND VAN WATTS, IV Case No. 99 L 6348 – Chicago, Illinois
N/A
OUTCOME: $9,600,000 verdict
Russ was a 22-year-old Northwestern football player traveling late at night from Evanston to his family home in Calumet City when a Chicago police officer attempted to pull him over due to an alleged i...mproper lane change. Russ refused to pull over and a police chase ensued. Officer Watts joined the pursuit, forced Russ into a spin out and then approached the car. Watts screamed at Russ to exit the car and when Russ didn’t move fast enough, Watts took a tire iron and smashed in the rear side window of Russ’ car. Watts then opened the front door and when Russ suddenly turned with his hands to surrender, Watts flinched and pulled the trigger fatally shooting Russ. Watts claimed he never opened the front door and that Russ had reached out the broken rear side window and grabbed the officer’s gun, pulled the officer and his gun inside the car, and that the gun then went off accidentally during the struggle. Our wrongful death lawyers were able to demonstrate the improbability of Watts’ story.
Amongst Plaintiff’s witnesses were Dr. Michael Baden, Chief Forensic Pathologist for the State of New York and host of the HBO show “Autopsy”; Dr. James Fyfe, head of the New York City Police Academy; and a then-college student, now U.S. soldier, eyewitness who directly refuted Watts’ account. The verdict of $12,000,000.00 was reduced by 20 percent for Russ’ comparative fault in refusing to pull over resulting in a judgment for $9,600,000.00. Russ’ son, Robert Anthony Russ, Jr., who was not yet born when his father was killed, is the sole beneficiary of the estate.
Medical malpractice
DORENE READY v. DR. VICENTE YAP Case No. 744-155, Milwaukee County Circuit Court $24,700,000.00:
N/A
OUTCOME: $24,700,000 verdict
Dorene Ready, the twenty-three-year old wife of Milwaukee Brewer infielder, Randy Ready, went to see Dr. Yap to obtain help in losing weight after her recent pregnancy with twins. Although she only wei...ghed 128 pounds, Dr. Yap prescribed phentermine diet pills that caused her to suffer a cardiac arrhythmia leading to brain damage. The award provides for full time medical care for Dorene as well as compensation for her pain, suffering and disability.
Medical malpractice
MARTIN BARRETT v. DR. ARTHUR PAPPAS, United States District Court Western District of Massachusetts
N/A
OUTCOME: $2,300,000 verdict
Barrett, the starting second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, hurt his knee on a routine play. The team doctor, who was a part owner of the Red Sox, told Barrett he tore cartilage and sent him for rehab...ilitation so he would be able to resume playing in four to six weeks. In fact, Marty had torn his anterior cruciate ligament and needed reconstructive surgery. The delay in surgery ruined Marty’s chance for a successful comeback. This case was the subject of a Sports Illustrated cover article.
