Illinois Nursing Home Inadequate Care Settlements & Verdicts (Case Valuation)

Illinois Nursing Home Inadequate Care Case ValuationThe attorneys at Nursing Home Law News have represented numerous nursing home victims of inadequate care in order to obtain recovery for their injuries. The nature and extent of the damages that each nursing home resident faces varies greatly but they are normally very serious. Also, because they tend to take longer to exhibit themselves, sometimes they even lead to death. In that scenario, the victim’s family is left with an inconsolable loss.

That is why our firm commits wholeheartedly to representing victims of nursing home inadequate care. We refuse to let nursing homes, hospitals, doctors, or any other person get off the hook. We certainly wouldn’t represent them.

Why Are Some Illinois Nursing Home Inadequate Care Cases Worth More Than Others?

In the section below, we give you a sample of nursing home cases involving inadequate care. Just after a short review you might notice that the amounts of recovery may vary and there might not be any discernable reason why.

However, we assure you, there are important and distinguishing traits between each jury award and settlement amount. The trick is knowing what to look for and we can help you do that because we have been involved in so many nursing home inadequate care lawsuits.

Here are some factors to isolate when analyzing different compensation amounts:

  • What kind of care was the nursing home resident supposed to have and how did the nursing home detract from that?
  • To what extent did the nursing home add to the victim’s injuries?
  • Did the victim have an prior conditions which caused or contributed to the incident in question?
  • Did the nursing home violate the orders of the victim’s doctors or other medical providers?
  • Did the nursing home have applicable policies and procedures for this type of incident and if so did the nursing home violate them?
  • How many costs or expenses did this incident create for the victim?
  • Was the victim’s family expensed by the incident or death?

Illinois Nursing Home Inadequate Care Verdicts and Settlements

$2,000,000 Verdict:

Cook County, Illinois nursing home inadequate care case.

The patient in this suit died while in the care of a nursing home after he developed peritonitis. Apparently, the nursing home staff failed to promptly identify the medical issue, insert a G-tube, and transfer him to a hospital. As a result, he died.

His estate received $2,000,000 in damages from a jury: $500,000 for pain and suffering and $1,500,000 for lost services.

Here are some facts that might explain the jury’s award:

  • The man was elderly but still had a significant amount of life left.
  • The nursing home staff deviated from the accepted medical standard of care in treating him and that might have explained his death.
  • This was a case for wrongful death as well as for the injuries that the man sustained just prior to dying.

$765,000 Settlement:

Cook County, Illinois nursing home inadequate care case.

The victim in this case was a woman in her late seventies. She was supposed to be at the nursing home in questions just for a short amount of time in order to receive dialysis treatment.

However, the medical staff performed the treatment negligently. They placed the needle in the wrong site, failed to account for the swelling, and did not control all of the bleeding. As a result, the woman later died.

Just before the case begin in court, the woman’s estate and the defendants settled for a reported $765,000. Here are some facts that account for that amount:

  • Both the nursing home and dialysis company provided part of the settlement monies to the woman’s estate.
  • The defendants’ negligent care was clearly to blame for the woman’s death.
  • The woman sustained over $100,000 in medical bills because of the incident.
  • The woman suffered extraordinary pain and suffering for over a week before passing away because of the defendants’ conduct.

$325,000 Settlement:

Kane County, Illinois nursing home inadequate care case.

The nursing home resident in this incident was a 70-year-old man. Apparently, while in the care of the nursing home, he began to display signs of a stroke including, but not limited to, speaking problems, facial drooping, and other symptoms.

However, the facility staff were slow to alert emergency services and get him the treatment that he needed.

This delay might have cost him his life and this was exactly the contention that his estate made in the complaint. However, this lawsuit never got to trial because they settled for $325,000.

Here is why they may have decided to settle rather than go to trial:

  • Proving causation may have been difficult especially the exact degree of causation.
  • The decedent was already in a poor state of health and whether quick service might have saved him was speculative.
  • The nursing home facility clearly violated the Nursing Home Care Act by not calling emergency services once they noticed signs of a stroke.

$223,608 Verdict:

Madison County, Illinois nursing home inadequate care case.

The victim in this case was a woman who was brought to a southern Illinois nursing home after spending some time in a hospital for advanced medical treatment. Once she got to the nursing home, a staff nurse applied a Duragesic patch before removing the one that was already applied at the hospital.

The woman’s lawyers later contended that this took her life in the lawsuit they filed shortly after her death.

The defendant disagreed but did admit that they did this and that it was a violation of the Nursing Home Care Act. Also, they noticed the decedent struggling for a few days prior to her passing.

The jury returned a verdict of $223,608 for medical bills, pain, suffering, and other compensatory damages. Here is what might explain the jury’s award:

  • The defendant plainly admitted to violating the Nursing Home Care Act.
  • The death was not that far in time from the defendant’s mistake thereby making causation seem more likely.
  • This was a cause of action for the untimely death of the decedent as well as for the pain and suffering that she experienced before dying-the latter of which was agreed to by the defendant.

$300,000 Settlement:

Winnebago County, Illinois nursing home inadequate care case.

The patient in this case was transferred around a hospital and nursing home during the relevant events pertaining to the lawsuit. While she was residing at both, she suffered from bed sores, dehydration, malnutrition, and a whole host of other health problems.

Eventually, doctors needed to amputate her leg due to infection and she later died from the complications.

Her representatives brought suit for these injuries and both sides settled for $300,000. Here is why they might have decided to settle:

  • There was a complete breakdown in communication between the nursing home and hospital.
  • The development of bed sores and infections seemed to display a certain level of negligence.
  • The plaintiffs’ lawyers brought suit for wrongful death and personal injuries.
  • The plaintiffs’ lawyers could demonstrate a failure to deliver the relevant standard of care to the decedent on behalf of the hospital and the nursing home.

Contact an Experienced Illinois Nursing Home Law Firm to Maximize the Value of Your Case

Inadequate care is an incredibly common problem in Illinois nursing homes. That is why we assembled an expert team of lawyers, investigators, and health care experts. We did this so that if you are hurt, then you can come to us and we can quickly and effectively put together a claim for relief on your behalf.

Urgency mattes as much as skill in these kinds of lawsuits because the defendant hospitals and nursing homes will move swiftly to kill your case.

Were you injured by a nursing home’s deficient care? Was someone you know and love injured by an Illinois nursing home’s deficient care?

Then, call our offices. We will take the time to review your incident in great detail to measure the merits of your claims. Then, if you choose to hire us, we can bring your case to court with more than enough experience, resources, and passion. Also, we won’t charge you unless you’re happy with the award so that you can focus on what matters: your health. Start today! Contact our offices and start the intake process. We look forward to hearing from you!

Contact our group of Illinois nursing home attorneys at Nursing Home Law News for assistance with your incident.

Visit our Illinois nursing home law and regulation page additional information.

If you are looking for an attorney to help, please see the pages below for more information.

For information on other types of Illinois nursing home negligence lawsuits, please refer to the pages below:

Client Reviews

★★★★★
Jonathan did a great job helping my family navigate through a lengthy lawsuit involving my grandmother's death in a nursing home. Through every step of the case, Jonathan kept my family informed of the progression of the case. Although our case eventually settled at a mediation, I really was impressed at how well prepared Jonathan was to take the case to trial. Lisa
★★★★★
After I read Jonathan’s Nursing Home Blog, I decided to hire him to look into my wife’s treatment at a local nursing home. Jonathan did a great job explaining the process and the laws that apply to nursing homes. I immediately felt at ease and was glad to have him on my side. Though the lawsuit process was at times frustrating, Jonathan reassured me, particularly at my deposition. I really felt like Jonathan cared about my wife’s best interests, and I think that came across to the lawyers for the nursing home. Eric