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Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., News

$17.5 Million Settlement in Illinois Kernicterus Case

In a settlement approved by both a Law Division and Probate Division judge, a Chicago area hospital and pediatrician agreed to pay $17,500,000 to settle claims brought by the parents of a 6-year-old girl delivered at the institution. The settlement was reached shortly before a scheduled two-week trial at which the parties were expected to call 16 expert witnesses. The settlement funds will be administrated under the supervision of the Probate Court. Click Here to read our blog post.

$10M Verdict in the case of a man who became a paraplegic after being admitted for sudden back pain

A jury delivered verdicts on February 28th, 2024 totaling $10,004,537.98 to a 66 year old man and his wife in a case tried for one week in Tazewell County. Mr. Jacobs was admitted to OSF St. Francis in November 2020 with sudden onset back pain. A CT scan revealed a significant lytic lesion at T11, and the neurosurgeon wanted an MRI before he operated. Mr. Jacobs had intractable muscle spasms and could not lie still for an MRI and the hospital was unable to schedule an anesthetized MRI until six days after admission. The plan was to observe until then. If there was any neurological deterioration, the neurosurgeon was to be advised immediately. There was significant neurological deterioration, and the neurosurgery staff was not advised until a day later when Ron was found in his bed paraplegic. His injury was caused by cord compression that would have been avoided by timely notice to the neurosurgeon. This is the second highest verdict in Tazewell County history. Mr. Pfaff obtained the highest verdict there, $13.5 million in Stone v. MiTek Industries, 08 L 155, for a man who suffered a leg amputation.

Bruce Pfaff interviewed for “Painkiller: The Tylenol Murders”

Bruce Pfaff was interviewed for a five part documentary that will begin streaming October 10 on Paramount+ called “Painkiller: The Tylenol Murders.” In 1982, seven people in Chicagoland died after taking Tylenol capsules that had been filled with cyanide by an unknown person. Bruce was part of the trial team that successfully prosecuted the wrongful death cases against McNeal Consumer Products, the manufacturer of Tylenol. The case asserted that selling capsules that were defenseless to tampering as over the counter products was unsafe and contributed to these senseless deaths. The cases settled days before jury selection was scheduled to begin. The practice of selling over the counter capsules like this ended.

Lawsuit filed against Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services and others for sexual assault of a minor

Pfaff, Gill & Ports recently filed suit on behalf of a 14-year-old minor who was sexually assaulted by a “houseparent” while she was enrolled in a residential care facility in Carmi, Illinois. Jane Doe was enrolled in and resided at Illinois Baptist Childrens Home and Family Services (BCHFS) from March 2022 through May 2022. BCHFS employed Daniel Lanning (41 years old) as a “houseparent” to care for minor residents enrolled at the facility. From March 31, 2022, through April 4, 2022, Lanning sexually assaulted Jane Doe while he was acting as her “houseparent.” Lanning was arrested and pled guilty to two counts of criminal sexual assault. He is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence. PGP sued Lanning, BCHFS and Illinois Baptist State Association (IBSA) for civil damages related to Lanning’s conduct. The case is pending in Sangamon County, IL. For more on the case, see our lawsuit filed against Lanning, BCHFS and IBSA.

Twelve Riley Spreadbury Scholars Announced

August 1, 2023 — Bruce Pfaff and the firm’s past client, Riley Spreadbury, selected twelve students at Moraine Valley Community College who will receive full tuition scholarships for the 2023-2024 school year. Bruce and his wife, Deborah, created the scholarship five years ago to honor Riley and to encourage students who have overcome significant adversity.

$3.6 Million Verdict Awarded in Death of Pekin Woman Leads to $4 Million Settlement

A Tazwell County jury awarded over $3,600,000 to the Estate of Linda Lane, a Pekin woman who died at OSF-Peoria Hospital in the days following a hernia repair surgery.  Plaintiff claimed that Dr. Allison Tanck was negligent when she (1) injured the bowel without realizing she had injured it, (2) failed to discover the injury before finishing and closing the surgery and, (3) failed to discover the injury over the next 1-2 days before Linda ultimately succumbed to sepsis.  The defendants claimed Linda’s symptoms in the hours and days after the surgery were not consistent with a full tear of the bowel, that the injury evolved to a more serious injury over time and such an injury can go unrecognized.  There was no offer made to settle the case.  The $3,666,242.46 verdict included $3,250,000 for the pecuniary loss by her surviving husband and daughter, $300,000 for pain and suffering suffered by Linda Lane before she died, $103,714.80 in medical bills, and $12,527.66 in funeral and burial expenses. The case settled after verdict for $4,000,000.00 which included most of the statutorily allowed pre-judgment interest. The case was tried by Matthew Ports and Michael Gill.

Bruce Pfaff Defends Illinois Plaintiffs’ Rights

Bruce Pfaff has led the plaintiff’s bar in its efforts to defend the constitutionality of the Illinois Pre-Judgment Interest statute that now applies in personal injury and wrongful death cases. The law became effective in 2021 and permits plaintiffs to obtain 6% pre-judgment interest per year when the statutory conditions are met. Insurance companies and big businesses filed more than one hundred motions statewide trying to delay or nullify the law which Bruce and the staff at Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. defended on a pro bono basis. Our team has successfully defended the statute in the Appellate Court as well.

National Organization Honors Bruce Pfaff For Service

The Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group presented a President’s Award to Bruce Pfaff for his service to AIEG as Medical Malpractice Committee Co-Chair from 2021 to 2023. AIEG is a national organization of lawyers and paralegals representing injured people that has extensive information sharing and collaboration processes.

Wrongful Death Case Remanded in an Appeal

The firm had a welcome team victory last week in the Fourth District Appellate Court of Illinois. In a case briefed by Matt Ports and Alex Marsh and argued by Bruce Pfaff, the Appellate Court reinstated our case against a physician who we believe negligently consulted an emergency medicine doctor. The wrongful death case on behalf of the Estate of Dennis Blagden will be remanded to the circuit court for a trial on the merits against both doctors and their employers. For more details, read the Cook County Record’s article.

Bruce Pfaff Named One Of Superlawyers Top Ten

Bruce Pfaff, for the sixth year in a row, was named as one of the Top Ten of Illinois Lawyers ranked by Superlawyers.

$11 Million Settlement in Illinois Birth Injury Case

In a settlement just approved by a downstate Illinois judge, a downstate hospital and obstetrician agreed to pay $11,000,000 to settle claims brought by the parents of a boy delivered at the institution. The settlement was reached shortly before a scheduled three-week trial at which the parties were expected to call 10-15 expert witnesses. The settlement funds will be administrated under the supervision of the Probate Court. The young man was the product of a full-term gestation to a healthy mother. The plaintiffs claimed that delivery was delayed by more than half an hour and that the child sustained significant hypoxic – ischemic insults during that time that led to brain damage. He weighed nearly 9 pounds but had APGAR scores of only 2, 3 and 5. His cord blood pH and base excess were low. The plaintiffs argued that the child sustained significant asphyxia that would have been prevented if the obstetrician and the labor and delivery nurses provided reasonable care. The plaintiffs alleged that fetal monitor tracings showed significant, adverse changes 115 minutes before delivery which plaintiffs related to the placement of an intrauterine device by the doctor. The plaintiffs alleged that the adverse changes were apparent to the nurse and the doctor, but the doctor opted not to do a Cesarean delivery but waited for the mom to delivery vaginally. This led to a more than 30-minute delay at the end when the tracings were “Category III,” indicative of ongoing insult to the baby, plaintiffs contended. The hospital claimed that its nurses were not negligent and that they did not have the authority to control whether the doctor performed a C section or not. The doctor maintained he was not negligent and that his decision making was reasonable. The defendant physician testified that the strip transitioned to Category III within the last 30 minutes before delivery. Experts for both defendants testified that the fetal monitor tracings never reached Category III and further that there was some significant asphyxial event or events that pre-dated labor that caused the brain damage or that made the fetus susceptible to harm during the delivery process over which they had no control. The young man lives with his parents and siblings. The proceeds from the settlement will be usedto provide for his current and future care needs.

2021 Trial Lawyer Scholarships Announced

Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. proudly awarded our 2021 Trial Lawyer Scholarships to Sheryl Callos and McKenzie Rugo. Our Trial Lawyer Scholarships are awarded annually to law students attending University of California, Hastings College that have demonstrated the skills and desire necessary to be superb trial lawyers.  Click Here to read our blog post.

Bruce Pfaff Recognized With 2020 ABA Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award

The ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) recognizes Bruce Pfaff as a recipient of the ABA Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award for his services in 2020! For more on this award and the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, see here: https://www.pfaffgill.com/blog/2021/02/bruce-pfaff-recognized-with-2020-aba-military-pro-bono-project-outstanding-services-award.shtml

$4.05M MCLEAN COUNTY SETTLEMENT

In settlements just approved by Judge Rebecca Foley in McLean County, two wrongful death cases were resolved for a total of $4,050,000. Shirley Jones, 78, and Kristine Trudeau, 66, were passengers in a car driven by Shirley’s husband, John Jones, in Villa Grove, Douglas County, IL. It was dark and the Jones vehicle rear-ended a skid steer loader being driven on the 55 mph two lane road by an employee of Stark Equipment Co. The crash occurred December 7, 2018. Bruce Pfaff of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. of Chicago represented both estates. For more details, read: $4.05M MCLEAN COUNTY SETTLEMENT | Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd.

International Academy of Trial Lawyers Statement on the Violence at the United States Capitol

Bruce Pfaff is proud to be an elected Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Please read the linked statement by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers on the violence and disruption this week at the United States Capitol.

American Board of Trial Advocates Expresses Concerns Over Proposed COVID-19 Relief Legislation Safe to Work Act

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers, Michael Gill and Matthew Ports are proud members of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Please urge defeat of the proposed legislation discussed here: /blog/2020/08/american-board-of-trial-advocates-expresses-concerns-over-proposed-covid-19-relief-legislation-safe.shtml.

2020 Riley Spreadbury Scholars Announced

Bruce and Deborah Pfaff, along with the firm’s former client, Riley Spreadbury, are pleased to announce the seven students who will receive scholarships in honor of Riley to attend Moraine Valley Community College in the 2020-2021 school year: /blog/2020/08/2020-riley-spreadbury-scholars-announced.shtml.

ABOTA Introduces Guide For Conducting Jury Trials During Covid-19 Pandemic

Posted 6/22/20

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers was glad to be among the task force members for the American Board of Trial Advocates that prepared this excellent guide for courts to use in reopening for jury trials. To learn more, read ABOTA Introduces Guide for Conducting Jury Trials During COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABOTA Names Pfaff member of National Covid Task Force

Posted 5/5/20

Bruce Pfaff has been named to be one of ten members of a national task force created by the American Board of Trial Advocates to help courts and litigants adapt to the limitations imposed by the COVID pandemic and public health requirements. Read more about the ABOTA National COVID Task Force.

2020 Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. Trial Lawyer Scholarships Awarded

Posted 4/30/20

Each year, two students from University of California, Hastings College of the Law are named recipients of the Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. Trial Lawyer Scholarship. We are thrilled to announce the 2020 recipients of the Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. Trial Lawyer Scholarships. Read more about these worthy law students here.

SCOTUS May Weigh in on Where to Sue for Car Defects

Posted 1/28/20

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers recently contributed to an article in Bloomberg Law in regards to two Ford Motor, Co. cases with the intent of narrowing where the automaker can be sued. Ford contends that they should not be sued in a state where the car had not been sold. Ford is attempting to have SCOTUS take up the case.

For more: /blog/2020/01/scotus-may-weigh-in-on-where-to-sue-for-car-defects.shtml.

Firm Reaches $3 Million Settlement In Medical Malpractice Case

Posted September 30, 2019

Our firm recently reached a $3 million settlement on behalf of a client who suffers from cauda equina syndrome due to mistakes made during her medical care at a Chicago hospital. Read more about this case.

Moraine Valley Community College Riley Spreadbury Scholarships Awarded By Bruce and Deborah Pfaff

Posted September 3, 2019

On Friday, Bruce and Deborah Pfaff awarded six students at Moraine Valley Community College Riley Spreadbury Scholarships. The scholarships are in honor of Bruce’s former client, a young woman who has achieved many great things after much adversity. Riley was valedictorian at Moraine Valley in 2016 and appreciates all the school did for her. More: /blog/2019/09/moraine-valley-community-college-riley-spreadbury-scholarships-awarded-by-bruce-and-deborah-pfaff.shtml.

Bruce R. Pfaff Served as Tournament Chairman for Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club for the 117th Western Amateur Championship

Posted August 8, 2019

The club hosted 156 of the world’s top amateur golfers who competed last Wednesday through Saturday, and Garrett Rank, 31, of Ontario, Canada prevailed as Tournament Champion. The club will donate all net revenues from the event to the Evans Scholars Foundation. More: /blog/2019/08/bruce-r-pfaff-of-pfaff-gill-ports-ltd-served-as-tournament-chairman-for-point-o-woods-golf-country-c.shtml.

Record DeKalb County Work Injury Verdict

Posted May 14, 2019

A DeKalb County jury entered a record verdict for almost $6,000,000 on Tuesday afternoon for a 33 year-old Winnebago man injured when the aerial lift he was working on failed causing him to fall 20-25 feet. The verdict represents the highest reported DeKalb County Work Injury award ever. It also represents DeKalb County’s third largest personal injury verdict ever. Continue to read more about this case…...

Lawsuit Filed After Tragic Collision With Tanker Trailer

Posted May 9, 2019

A 41-year-old woman died tragically when her Jeep vehicle struck and went under a tanker trailer being backed across a road into a farmer’s driveway. The trailer had no side underride guards and was not conspicuous on a dark road with no artificial lighting. Her Jeep did not have any forward collision warning or braking systems. Continue to read more about this case filed in Peoria County, IL……..

Lawsuit Filed Against Beachbody After Chin Up Bar Disengagement

Posted May 8, 2019

The firm has sued Beachbody for selling an unreasonably dangerous product after a Beachbody P90X Chin Up Bar disengaged from its mounting place over a doorway resulting in a tragic death. Continue to read more about this case…...

Pfaff, Gill & Ports Ltd. Sponsors the 2019 Western Amateur Golf Tournament

Posted April 30, 2019

PGP is very glad to be a sponsor of one of the world’s great amateur golf tournaments this summer at Point O’ Woods Golf and Country Club in Benton Harbor, MI. This will be the 117th playing of The Western Amateur tournament and the forty-first time that Point O’ Woods has hosted the event. Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers is the tournament chair for the club. Read more…….

Pfaff, Gill & Ports Ltd. Sponsors Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund Golf Classic

Posted April 16, 2019

Pfaff, Gill & Ports is proud to again contribute to the success of the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund. We encourage you all to do the same, it is an excellent charity! Over the past 30 years, the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund has provided high school scholarship assistance and educational support to Chicago students coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to assist in their ability to obtain a quality education. Read more…...

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Settles Tragic Wrongful Death Case for $12,500,000

Posted Apr. 2, 2019

A 35-year-old electrician learned he had a cancerous lesion in his right kidney in March 2016. He was referred to a urologist who told him and his wife that he required survival removal of the kidney, a nephrectomy. The urologist told them the cancer was Stage I, it would not require chemo or radiation therapy, and the man would return to work in 4-6 weeks with no residual injury. His life expectancy was to be little diminished by the cancer or surgery. That turned out to be wrong. Continue reading: Tragic Wrongful Death $12,500,000 Settlement.

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Participates In Mock Trial

Posted Nov. 8, 2018

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers performed jury selection and moderated a mock trial of a product liability case for Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group in Chicago. The case involved a young woman who lost her leg due to the defective design of a guardrail.

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Exhibits “Civil” Behavior

Posted Nov. 28, 2018

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers participated in a panel discussion presented by the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Chicago Bar Association “Civility Matters.” The theme of the program is to educate and encourage lawyers that uncivil behavior is the opposite of professionalism and is poor advocacy. The program showed real life examples of lawyer conflicts with judges, witnesses and other lawyers and how to manage those disputes in a professional and civilized way.

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers and Matthew D. Ports Named to 2018 Illinois Super Lawyers List

Posted Feb. 5, 2018

We’re happy to share that Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers and Matthew D. Ports were named to the 2018 Illinois Super Lawyers list in the Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff practice area. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than five percent of attorneys in Illinois. Congratulations to Mike and Matt on their selection to this year’s list and for their ongoing dedication to representing victims and families harmed by medical negligence, defective products, construction negligence, motor vehicle accidents, and other unsafe or dangerous conditions.

Pfaff Named One of Top Ten Lawyers in Illinois

Posted February 3, 2018

Bruce R. Pfaff of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., has again been named one of the Top 10 lawyers in Illinois by Super Lawyers. Bruce has been honored to be one of the Top Ten lawyers in Illinois twice in the past 8 years (2011). This is an incredible honor considering there are over 94,000 Illinois licensed lawyers.

Continue reading Pfaff Named One of Top Ten Lawyers in Illinois.

Ports Settles Wrongful Death Case in Pekin, Illinois

Posted January 10, 2018

Matthew D. Ports recently negotiated a $6 million settlement on behalf of the families of two downstate Illinois workers who died from poisonous gas in a railroad car while working at Agridyne LLC’s livestock feed facility located in Pekin.

Continue reading Ports Settles Wrongful Death Case in Pekin, Illinois.

Pfaff Appointed to the ACTL’s Sandra Day O’Connor Juris Award Committee

Posted September 12, 2017

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers has been appointed a member of the Sandra Day O’Connor Juris Award Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has accepted his invitation to participate and very much looks forward to the privilege of helping to select next year’s recipient of this award. Sandra Day O’Connor was one of our best Supreme Court justices and the award in her name honors judges in the United States or Canada who have demonstrated exemplary independence in performing his or her duties, often in difficult or dangerous circumstances. Justice O’Connor is the personification of a dedicated judge and person who cares greatly about our country.

Evans Scholar Cup

Posted September 12, 2017

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers was happy to participate in a significant fundraising event for the Evans Scholars Foundation operated by the Western Golf Association on September 11, 2017. The event was a pro-am fundraiser at the BMW International Championship at Conway Farms and brought together local pros with amateurs who are interested in making a substantial commitment to help fund the Evans Scholars. The Evans Scholarship Foundation provides tuition, room and board, and support for nearly 1000 undergraduates today, and it is growing. Since its founding in 1930, more than 10,000 student-caddies have attended college through the Evans Scholars. As always, the Western Golf Association ran a terrific event.

Pfaff, Gill & Ports Sponsors Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund Golf Classic

Posted June 9, 2017

Pfaff, Gill & Ports is very proud to continue support for the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, one of our favorite local charities:

dmsf

.

Read more

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Among Recipients of ITLA’s William J. Harte Amicus Volunteer Award for 2017

Posted June 7, 2017

Today the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) announced this year’s recipients of the William J. Hart Amicus Volunteer Award. Bruce is recognized for his work writing the brief in support of plaintiff-appellee in Ferris, Thompson & Zweig, Ltd. v. Anthony Esposito in the Supreme Court of Illinois. The recipients will receive their award at ITLA’s annual membership meeting on June 9th at the Westin River North in Chicago.

Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. Takes Part in Law Day Luncheon Hosted by IL Chapter of ABOTA

Posted May 16, 2017

ABOTA Law Day Luncheon 2017

Continue reading Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. Takes Part in Law Day Luncheon….

Attorney Pfaff Selected to Fill Opening on the Board of Directors of the Attorneys Information Exchange Group

Posted April 10, 2017

Bruce R. Pfaff of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. has been selected from an impressive field of nominees to serve on the Board of Directors for the Attorneys Information Exchange Group (AIEG). The nominations of Bruce and three other new Directors will be formally submitted for approval by the Board at its meeting at the upcoming AIEG Spring Seminar in Orlando, FL, April 19-21, 2017.

AIEG is a national organization of attorneys dedicated to sharing information, experiences, and effective litigation strategies among its members for the benefit of clients who are the victims of dangerous and defective products. For many years, Pfaff, Gill & Ports has worked with this amazing network of product liability lawyers, paralegals, and experts to equip ourselves with the tools to be the best advocates we can for our client that have injured or killed by unsafe products. We look forward to continuing our support of AIEG and fostering its mission of Success Through Sharing®.

Please click here to learn more about AIEG.

Attorney Admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers

Posted March 16, 2017

Bruce R. Pfaff, the founding shareholder of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., was recently inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers at the 2017 Spring Meeting of the College in Boca Raton, Florida. Fellowship in the College is an invitation-only honor extended to the best the trial bar in the United States and Canada.

To read the entire press release, please click here. .

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Again Included in 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®

Posted August 15, 2016

Bruce R. Pfaff, founding partner of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in the following areas: Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs.

$1.8M Settlement for Wrongful Death of Newborn

Posted June 22, 2016

Matthew D. Ports of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. recently negotiated a $1.8 million settlement for the wrongful death of a newborn, survived by his loving mother and father. We claimed that the delivering physician and the nurses failed to identify the baby’s deteriorating condition as could be seen on the fetal monitoring strips. We believe that a c-section done at any time in the hours before delivery would have easily saved the child.

During the pendency of the case, our research revealed that in the years before this event, the defendant physician had been cited for “gross negligence” by the Illinois licensing board and the defendant hospital had disciplined him with supervision for past poor labor and delivery care. Therefore, we added a claim against the defendant hospital that they had negligently credentialed the defendant doctor and had no business delivery babies based on his extensive history.

The settlement was paid by the suburban OB/GYN and a Chicago-area hospital.

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Named to Leading Lawyers Top Ten PI and Consumer Lawyers in Illinois Lists

Posted April 26, 2016

Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. is pleased to announce that Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers was named one of the “Top Ten Personal Injury Plaintiff’s Lawyers in Illinois” and one of the “Top Ten Consumer Lawyers in Illinois” by Leading Lawyers Magazine, a division of the Law Bulletin Publishing Company.

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Profile in Leading Lawyers Magazine

Posted April 15, 2016

An article profiling Pfaff, Gill & Ports partner, Michael Gill, appears in the March 2016 Leading Lawyers Magazine – Consumer Edition – Limited Caseload Allows Focused Approach, Outstanding Results.

$5M Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice Verdict

Posted March 24, 2016

A Tazewell County jury awarded a $5,008,921.72 plaintiff’s verdict to the estate a 36-year-old woman who bled to death during a DaVinci robotic hysterectomy procedure at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. The gynecologist, Dr. David Kindred, accidently lacerated her left iliac artery and she bled internally for approximately 2 hours before the injury was detected. Meanwhile, the anesthesia staff, which included Angela Brown, CRNA, and Dr. Eric Hawkins, failed to timely diagnose and treat the internal bleeding, despite the presence of deteriorating vital signs in the patient.

Bruce R. Pfaff and Matthew D. Ports of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. represented the family, along with local counsel, Dick Williams of East Peoria. The 9-day trial took place at the Tazewell County Courthouse in Pekin before the Honorable Richard McCoy. The jury began its deliberations yesterday afternoon and reached its verdict late this morning. The previous high wrongful death verdict in Tazewell County was $960,000.

Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd. Negotiates $5M Settlement for Negligent Treatment of Woman with Hyponatremia

Posted January 7, 2016

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers and Matthew Ports of Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd., recently settled a medical malpractice case on behalf of a 64-year-old woman who was negligently treated at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights back in May 2011. On December 30, 2015, Judge James N. O’Hara approved the $5 million settlement agreement that was reached between the family, three defendants doctors, their employer, Nephrology Associates of Northern Illinois and Indiana, and the hospital. The case was set to be gin trial on January 4, 2016, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Continue reading.

Pfaff & Gill, Ltd. Trial Lawyers Elected to The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

Posted January 5, 2016

Bruce R. Pfaff has been elected to The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation in recognition of his exemplary dedication to the legal profession, commitment to the work of the American Bar Foundation, and support of the ideals and objectives of the American Bar Association.

The mission of the American Bar Foundation is to serve the legal profession, the public, and the academy through empirical research, publications, and programs that advance justice, and understanding of law and its impact on society.

Read older news in our Firm News Archive.

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