Personal Injury Law

Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Claims Improper Care Led to Patient?s Attempted Suicide

In Illinois, the family of a woman who sustained catastrophic injuries after she tried to kill herself is suing Adventist Hinsdale Hospital for medical malpractice. The Chicago area hospital treated the woman prior to the attempted suicide incident, and her family is accusing the facility of failing to provide her with the proper treatment and dismissing her from the hospital too soon.

According to the Illinois medical malpractice complaint, which was filed in Cook County:
The woman, who had previously tried to commit suicide, was admitted as a patient to Adventist Hinsdale Hospital on August 26, 2007, where she remained for one week. While there, doctors suggested that she be transferred to Elgin Mental Health Center so she could receive constant supervision, but the center would not admit her because it did not feel it could provide her with the proper care. Adventist Hinsdale Hospital then discharged her.

Two weeks later, the woman was readmitted to the hospital for abdominal pain. Three days later, staffers discharged her again and said they could do nothing more to help her.

On September 25, 2007, the woman tried to kill herself again after jumping from her third floor balcony. She sustained massive internal bleeding and broken bones. Her mother says that because of the attempted suicide, her daughter is bed-ridden, can?t walk, experienced vision loss, and requires a feeding tube to eat.

The family?s medical malpractice lawsuit alleges negligence by Dr. Arun Kumar and Dr. Helena Muirragui. They say hospital staffers failed to address certain symptoms the woman was exhibiting, including psychosis and depression. The plaintiffs are seeking over $50,000 in damages.

Illinois Medical Malpractice
Doctors, nurses, and other medical providers are professionally and legally obligated to provide each patient with the appropriate, quality medical care that they need. When failure to provide that care causes a patient?s condition to deteriorate or complications to arise, the medical provide can be held liable for Illinois medical malpractice.

Family sues Hinsdale Hospital, Sun-Times News Group, February 5, 2009

Medical Malpractice, Justia

Related Web Resource:
Adventist Midwest Health

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on February 16, 2009 (boomark / email).