$9 Million Settlement Agreed For Alleged Medical Malpractice

Cook County, IL: A $9 million settlement has been agreed between the plaintiff in a medical malpractice lawsuit and the defendant hospital, prior to the lawsuit being filed.

The suit stemmed from the death of a 39-year old mother of two who went into hospital for a routine procedure but was overmedicated and consequently stopped breathing. The suit alleged that the hospital staff was slow to realize what was happening and the condition that the woman was in, which resulted in a delay in issuing a code blue.

The code team was unable to resuscitate the woman, and failed to perform chest compressions as part of the CPR because they misinterpreted the electrical activity in the decedent's heart. Consequently, the woman did not receive sufficient oxygen to her brain and heart and as a result suffered a hypoxic brain injury. She died several days later.

The lawsuit alleged negligence against the defendant hospital in its failure to properly monitor and medicate the woman during her operation. The suit also alleged that the staff at the hospital failed to recognize the patient's critical situation with respect to lack of oxygen and failed to provide proper resuscitation.