Kreisman Law Offices Professional Corporation
The family of a 39 year-old woman brought an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit against MacNeal Hospital and other medical professionals. The decedent had allegedly died as a result of medical negligence related to her gastric bypass surgery. A settlement of $3 million was reached between the decedent’s surviving sister and the hospital, nurses and resident physicians.
In the complaint, the decedent’s estate claimed that the medical providers had failed to recognize a leak at the surgical site in a timely manner, and that this failure constituted Illinois medical malpractice. Following the gastric bypass surgery, decedent developed a leak in the area that the small intestine had been sewn up. Before the leak was identified the Illinois resident developed sepsis.
The leak was not recognized until the decedent returned to the emergency room with signs and symptoms of sepsis. These symptoms could include rapid respiratory rate, elevated blood pressure, and elevated temperatures. She was taken to emergency exploratory surgery, where the leak was discovered and repaired. Yet by this time her situation had become grave. She died the next day from peritonitis and multi-system organ failure.
While any surgery carries risks and complications, it is important that medical treaters heed the warning signs. Failure to take timely action is not only medical negligence, but can lead to potentially fatal outcomes.
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Cook County medical malpractice lawsuits and Illinois wrongful death cases for over 30 years, serving areas in and around Chicago, including Oak Lawn, Berwyn, Elk Grove Village, and Evanston.