Personal Injury Law

Chicago Hospital Lawsuit Settles for $7 million

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

The Chicago Tribune recently reported on the settlement of a medical negligence case which alleged violation of state law by the University of Chicago Medical Center.

The hospital was charged with overcrowding babies in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), failing to comply with state law that mandates specific bed spacing and maximum capacities. The lawsuit was filed by two former nurses in the NICU at the Medical Center, Donald Raymer and Michael Grosche.

Specifically, over an eight year period from 1997 to 2005, the Medical Center sought reimbursement from Illinois Medicaid for care provided when the overcrowding occurred. The Attorney General explained that the practice put ill babies at extreme risk of infection in ?absolutely terrifying? conditions.

Luckily for all future babies who need emergency care at the hospital, since the lawsuit the Medical Center has expanded to include a properly sized neonatal intensive care unit. As another positive benefit from the suit, the majority of that settlement ($5.2 million) will be sent to nearby clinics and hospitals to provide services to young and new mothers including well-being classes and postpartum depression care.

The disturbing situation at the University of Chicago Medical Center is just one example of the corners cut by many medical service providers when they become more worried about saving money than providing the necessary care to save the lives of the patients in their care. Our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys at Levin & Perconti have decades of experience fighting for patients who were given inadequate medical care by facilities looking at the budget at the expense of emergency healthcare.

Unfortunately inadequate medical care is given at hospitals every day. Do not wait to fight for your right for proper treatment. If you suspect you?ve been a victim of negligent care, be sure to contact a medical malpractice attorney in the area.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on July 02, 2010 (boomark / email).