Significant Verdicts & Settlements

1. DORENE READY v. DR. VICENTE YAP, Court No. 744-155, Milwaukee County Circuit Court - $24,700,000.00:

Dorene Ready, twenty-three, the 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 weighed 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.


2. NATAIYA HILL v. DR. CHARLES ALSTON and HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL, Court No. 97 L 03123, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $6,600,000.00:

Although once a cesarean always a cesarean was once the standard of care, in recent years doctors have been encouraged to try VBAC-vaginal birth after cesarean section. However, VBAC mothers have to be carefully watched. The Defendants didn't carefully watch Nataiya's mother and as a result her uterus ruptured and Nataiya was born brain damaged.


3. JASON HOPKINS v. LOYOLA MEDICAL CENTER, Court No. 91 L 7880, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $4,750,000.00:

Jason was born with a heart defect but his doctors mis-diagnosed him and failed to correct this heart defect until it was too late. Jason is now a spastic quadriplegic.


4. LASHUN MYLES v. INGALLS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, Court No. 81 L 26329, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $5,000,000.00:

In this case, a $5,000,000.00 verdict was rendered for a nine month old baby who was brought to the emergency room with a high fever and sent home with a diagnosis of a head cold. In fact, she had spinal meningitis and was left severely brain damaged.


5. ESTATE OF SHARON STONE v. CAPITOL CONSTRUCTION GROUP, Court No. 91 L 11818, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $3,500,000.00:

Sharon, a thirty-eight year old mother of two children was exhibiting at an arts and crafts fair on north Michigan Avenue when a fifty pound piece of plywood left unsecured by construction workers, fell ten stories onto the back of Sharon's neck and killed her. The defense claimed that the accident was an unforeseeable Act of God but the jury didn't buy it.

6. DAVID GOTTSCHAMMER, JR. v. SUBURBAN HEIGHTS MEDICAL CENTER, Court No. 89 L 03958, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $3,990,000.00:

David, Jr's mother had pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) leading to a placental abruption and deprivation of oxygen to the child who is now a spastic quadriplegic.


7. MARTIN BARRETT v. DR. ARTHUR PAPPAS, United States District Court, Western District of Massachusetts - $2,300,000.00:

Barrett, a 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 rehabilitation 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 comeback.


8. ESTATE OF CARRIE DUNKLIN v. COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL, Court No. 83 L 12869, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $1,500,000.00:

Plaintiff, a twenty-seven year old missionary, survived by an elderly mother and twelve siblings, jumped off an unguarded fire escape on the sixth floor of Cook County Hospital and died. Carrie had been admitted for a prior suicide attempt caused by high levels of steroid medication prescribed to her for Lupus, yet no suicide precautions were taken.


9. ESTATE OF WANDA ROSADO v. DR. RAO, et.al., Court No. 98 L 04314, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $2,500,000.00:

Nineteen year old Wanda Rosado became very ill after routine surgery to remove her gallbladder. She spent seven weeks in St. Elizabeth Hospital but her doctors never tested for a bile leak. Wanda eventually went to the University Of Illinois Hospital where the doctors immediately suspected and diagnosed a bile leak but by then it was too late and Wanda died leaving a two year old son.


10. ESTATE OF DONALD STITES v. DR. TERRI DALLAS-PRUNKIS, Court No. 98 L 12867, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - $1,500,000.00:

Donald Stites became addicted to pain pills given to him by Dr. Dallas and others. In order to get him off the pain pills, Dr. Dallas prescribed methadone but she prescribed a lethal dose and Donald was found dead two days later.


11. The Estate of Robert Anthony Russ v. City of Chicago and Van Watts, IV., court number 99 L 6348. Verdict - $9,600,000.00.

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 improper 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. We 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.

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