Antonio DeAngelo of Hoffman Estates, then age 37, is permanently disabled following Advocate Physician Partners’ failure to treat DeAngelo’s abnormally high blood pressure that led to his suffering a debilitating stroke. Instead, the physician treated him with an antibiotic for flu-like symptoms in January 2015 and failed to follow up with any care despite knowing of the patient’s hypertension.

THE FAMILY AND LAWYERS SPOKE TO THE PRESS ON FRIDAY, MARCH 1, AT 2 P.M. AT 120 N. LASALLE ST., 36TH FLOOR, CHICAGO. THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS ALSO HELD LIVE VIA ZOOM. SEE THE FOOTAGE BELOW.

“This man should be enjoying life to the fullest now. Instead, he finds himself struggling to get through every day,” Cosgrove said following the verdict. “The negligence of the medical providers here and their lack of accountability simply is uncalled for, and the jury did what was right and just. He will need a lifetime of care that his family simply cannot undertake.”

The six-man-six-woman jury deliberated four hours before Judge Preston Jones, Jr., of the Cook County Circuit Court before rendering its verdict late Thursday evening at the Daley Center. Devin J. Piper, associate at Clifford Law Offices, assisted at trial.

DeAngelo, a landscaper and landscape designer in the western suburbs, was suffering from a persistent cough when he went to a local pharmacy for care in 2015. It was there that it was discovered he had an elevated blood pressure of 132/82, and it was recommended he see a doctor to determine if he was suffering from hypertension. DeAngelo did so through his HMO plan seeing a primary care physician and complaining of trouble breathing in late January 2015. At that time, DeAngelo’s blood pressure had spiked to 190/102. The primary care physician’s diagnosis included acute bronchitis, elevated blood pressure, tachycardia, and morbid obesity. He did not treat DeAngelo’s high blood pressure or other diagnosed medical conditions.

About four weeks later, on March 11, DeAngelo’s co-workers observed him in distress and called 911. He was taken by ambulance to Loyola University Health System with blood pressure measuring 290/190, and it was discovered he suffered a hemorrhaging stroke. The jury found that the primary care physician failed to properly test or treat the patient including ordering an EKG, urinalysis, blood work, lab tests, or referring him to a cardiologist, despite his family history of hypertension.

After spending more than a year at the RIC/Shirley Ryan Ability Lab where he underwent physical, occupational, and speech therapy, DeAngelo has hemiparesis, and still is unable to walk long distances, unable to drive, dress, bathe or eat without assistance, and suffers speech issues from brain damage from the stroke. His right dominant hand is non-functioning. He is unable to work the rest of his life and requires lifetime care for what is expected to be a normal life span.

The verdict includes $20 million for disability. The couple have two children who then were aged 8 and 5.

For further information, contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell).

Case: DeAngelo v. Advocate Health Partners, d/b/a Advocate Physician Partners, No. 2020 L 2605.

Defense Counsel:

On behalf of Advocate Health Partners d/b/a Advocate Physician Partners: (Guilty)
Marni Slavick
Kipp Cornell
Cunningham, Meyer & Vedrine, P.C.
One E. Wacher Dr., Suite 2200
Chicago, IL 60601

On behalf of Advocate Health and Hospitals Corp., d/b/a Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital (found Not Guilty):
Stetson Atwood
Scott Kater
Donohue, Brown, Mathewson & Smyth, LLC
140 S. Dearborn St., Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60603
312-422-0900

Media

• Complaint – Filed
• DeAngelo Verdict form – signed
• Jennifer DeAngelo Statement
• Press Conference Footage:

• Photos Courtersy of Clifford Law Offices (click on the images below):

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The 10-day trial in Cook County Circuit Court was obtained on behalf of a 58-year-old man who suffered debilitating injuries due to a malpositioned hip implant. The six-man, six-woman jury deliberated three hours before reaching its verdict before Judge Bridget Hughes at the Daley Center.

Thomas Augustine of Streator, IL, suffered permanent gait disturbance and severe aggravation of pre-existing back and knee arthritis over the 18 months that went by before the malpositioned implant was recognized and revised despite multiple post-op visits. The damages included but were not limited to, pain and suffering, loss of a normal life, and the loss of consortium for his wife, Leann.

“The plaintiff suffered miserably and needlessly for months and months following a procedure that was supposed to restore him,” King said following the verdict. “Sadly, this was a fixable problem that became a permanent disability. The defendant should have recognized the issue and corrected it, but she just couldn’t allow herself to consider her surgery was the problem. Thankfully justice was achieved for this family by our very thoughtful and attentive jury who saw the clear facts.”

The defendants in the case were Loyola University Medical Center and their admitted agent, Karen Wu, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon.

For further information, contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell).

To learn more about Clifford Law Offices, click here.

Case No: Thomas Augustine and Leann Augustine v. Loyola University Medical Center, a corporation; and Karen Wu, M.D.,

Court No. 2020 L 00729

Defense Counsel for LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER and KAREN WU, M.D.
Christopher M. Daddino
Jaqueline L. Van Der Wey
Cassiday Schade LLP
222 West Adams Street
Suite 2900
Chicago, IL 60606

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The annual awards provide the magazine’s global readership with a definitive guide to the firms and individuals who truly are the most able within all areas, across all geographical locations.

Since 1984, Clifford Law Offices has handled extensive medical malpractice claims, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of catastrophically injured patients and their families. The firm’s medical malpractice team takes pride in holding negligent healthcare professionals accountable for malpractice, recovering maximum compensation for clients, and preventing the same negligent actions from impacting other patients in the future.

Throughout the decades, the firm’s elite team of medical malpractice attorneys has garnered impressive results for the families they represent including a record $101 million result obtained by partners Bradley M. Cosgrove, Charles R. Haskins, Keith A. Hebeisen, and Sarah F. King on behalf of a baby who sustained brain damage at birth at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.

In 2024, partners obtained a $15 million settlement on behalf of a baby that sustained permanent brain injury from lack of oxygen due to failure to perform a timely cesarean section. In another settlement, attorneys obtained an $8 million result on behalf of a 60-year-old man who underwent multiple surgeries to treat complications of necrotizing pancreatitis caused by the negligence of the surgeon failing to shrink a tumor before abdominal surgery.

The lawyers at Clifford Law Offices obtained nearly $100 million in reported medical malpractice cases in 2023 involving complex healthcare issues and numerous defendants. Many other cases remain confidential.

The Legal 100 – 2024 recognizes the select 100 leading global professional firms and individuals who are noted for their areas of specialization within their geographical locations. Recipients are selected by nomination and peer and client reviews that evidence unquestionable ability. The voting readers are asked to identify those firms and individuals noted for having a high degree of ability in complex situations, those that continually innovate, and where their level of service is of great importance against the overall value for money in a tough global economy.

About Clifford Law Offices

Clifford Law Offices is an award-winning personal injury law firm ranked as one of the top law firms in Illinois. Founded in 1984 by Robert A. Clifford, the firm has built a reputation for expertly and successfully handling complicated national and international claims involving aviation litigation, complex personal injury, wrongful death cases, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, and transportation litigation. Clifford Law Offices – Serious Cases. Exceptional Results. To learn more, please visit www.cliffordlaw.com.

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The case was recognized in the following TopVerdict.com lists:

Top 20 Verdicts in Illinois in 2022,#15 top verdict
Top 100 Medical Malpractice Verdicts in the United States in 2022, #54 top verdict

Attorneys: Bradley M. Cosgrove, Partner, and Charles R. Haskins, Partner
Case: Estate of Orozco v. Patel, et al.
Type: Medical Malpractice, Misdiagnosis, Professional Malpractice, Wrongful Death, Ob-Gyn Malpractice, Negligent Tort, Vicarious Liability

After receiving a positive pregnancy test, a first-trimester ultrasound was performed. The mother was told that the baby did not have a heartbeat. During the dilation and curettage procedure, an ultrasonographer was called in and immediately discovered a heartbeat and a live 13-week-old baby, so the procedure was aborted. The mother experienced a spontaneous rupture of membranes for approximately three weeks and lost the fetus. The plaintiff proved at trial that the defendant physician violated the standard of care in her performance and interpretation of the first-trimester ultrasound. Specifically, the plaintiff proved that the physician actually measured the umbilical cord, and not the fetus itself, and negligently diagnosed a miscarriage.

The dedication and hard work of Clifford Law Offices’ attorneys have led to many favorable outcomes. The firm has received multiple awards and recognitions for its work in personal injury and wrongful death case litigation in the areas of medical malpractice, train accidents, construction, transportation, aviation litigation, and other complex matters. View more of our top verdicts and settlements here.

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The female plaintiff reached out earlier this year to a Chicago area animal shelter to foster any type of breed and was given what was described as “a sweet boy” and “a good dog.”

She took the dog home, and about two weeks later, the dog attacked the woman without provocation, leaving her with severe and permanent injuries.

“The animal shelter should have better screened the dog before it gave it to unsuspecting dog lover who only wanted to give it a good home,” Brammeier said after the settlement. “The dog was returned to the shelter from its previous home after just a few days, and the shelter should have investigated its unstable and aggressive nature.”

The plaintiff from Chicago’s western suburbs suffered severe mauling injuries to both of her forearms and to one thigh. She was inpatient for two months and required several surgeries and skin grafts.

The case was settled on November 15, 2023, before the Hon. Frank Andreou of the Cook County Circuit Court.

Defense counsel was Shipra Mehta at Costello Ginex & Wideikis, PC.

For further information, please contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell).

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Mark T. Bretall of Mokena, Illinois was riding his motorcycle in Downers Grove on September 14, 2017, when a truck failed to yield at an intersection, crashing into his bike. Bretall was thrown from his motorcycle which landed on top of him. Bretall sustained severe traumatic brain and orthopedic injuries requiring multiple surgeries, including brain surgery, and surgery to repair his crushed foot, as well as months of physical therapy and continuing rehabilitation treatment.

“I’m very pleased with the settlement, mostly for Mark and Linda Bretall. They have been through a lot over the last few years as a result of the extent of Mark’s injuries and the amount of surgeries he’s had to have, and how difficult that has been. I’m delighted to see that they are in a position where they’re going to be able to pay their medical bills and make sure that Mark is getting the appropriate medical care that he needs.”
-Yvette Loizon, Partner at Clifford Law Offices

According to the Jury Verdict Reporter, this case has the highest reported settlement in DuPage County involving a motorcycle accident.

Yvette Loizon offers her clients vast litigation and appellate experience as she helps them navigate complex legal issues in a variety of civil practice areas including aviation, medical malpractice, asbestos contamination, and negligent operation of motor vehicles. She is known for her exemplary research, writing, and problem-solving skills which greatly contribute to her success in the courtroom.

To read more about this case click here.

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• $101M: A 24-year-old female was 37 weeks pregnant with her first child when she was admitted to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park for high blood pressure and monitoring. As a result of obstetrical and hospital malpractice, the fetus was subjected to hours of oxygen deprivation, causing profound brain damage, global developmental disabilities, motor delays, spastic cerebral palsy, speech and language impairment, cortical blindness, profound intellectual disability, epilepsy, and dysphagia/feeding difficulties requiring a gastrostomy tube. This is the largest medical malpractice verdict in the history of Illinois. For more information about this case, click here.
• $21.5M: A 6 -year-old boy drowned while attending the Justice Park District summer camp when camp counselors took the group to swim at the Bridgeview Park District pool. He did not know how to swim and could not stand anywhere in the general pool with his head above water. The boy, who should have been in the wading pool, was found unresponsive in the main pool, and rescuers and hospital personnel were unable to revive him. This is the largest drowning verdict in the history of Illinois. For more information about this case, click here.
• $18.15M: A 17-year-old sustained a traumatic brain injury and serious internal injuries that necessitated an airlift to Stroger Hospital when a truck driver, driving for a large trucking company and under the direction of a national shipper, lost control and crashed onto the shoulder of a highway. At the time of the crash, the plaintiff was lawfully on the shoulder of a highway determining if the brake lights and tail lights on his trailer were working. The plaintiff requires a lifetime of future therapy and caretaking services. For more information about this case, click here.
• $14M: A 37-year-old female suffered a stroke as a result of being negligently prescribed Yasmin birth control by her obstetrician. She is currently dependent on a wheelchair and requires 24-hour care due to her left-sided paralysis and brain damage. This was the largest medical malpractice verdict in 2014. For more information about this case, click here.
• $8.5M: A Williamson County man from Marion, Illinois died when a certified registered nurse anesthetist and hospital employees allowed a patient to become dangerously hypotensive and was later declared brain dead. This was the record verdict for a wrongful death in Williamson County.
• $8.25M: Verdict against a Chicago hospital on behalf of a family who lost their father and husband due to medical malpractice following a total knee replacement surgery. For more information about this case, click here.
• $7.75M: A 56-year-old man dies from cardiac issues due to the negligence of a neurosurgeon who failed to recognize the man’s previous heart issues and cleared him for surgery. For more information about this case, click here.
• $5.5M: A 40-year-old pregnant mother lost her 16-week-old fetus as a result of Obstetrical malpractice. The obstetrician failed to properly interpret a transvaginal ultrasound leading to a dilatation and curettage procedure which introduced bacteria into the sterile uterus leading to infection and ultimately miscarriage. For more information about this case, click here.
• $5 million: A woman suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a truck driver’s negligence on I-65. For more information about this case, click here.

Congratulations, Brad!

The post Bradley M. Cosgrove to be Recognized for his Numerous Multi-Million-Dollar Verdicts and Settlements appeared first on Clifford Law Offices.

The reception and awards ceremony takes place in the West Tower Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Chicago with a wonderful view of the river and Chicago skyline. The event will take place from 4:30-7 p.m. with awards being presented at 6 p.m.

For further information, please contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell).

www.CliffordLaw.com

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Clifford Law Offices is recognized on the following TopVerdict.com lists:

Top 10 Verdicts in Illinois in 2021

Listed as #4
Amount: $18,150,750
Attorneys:  Bradley M. Cosgrove, Partner
Case: Cornejo v. Alliance Shippers Inc., et al.
Type: Motor Vehicle Accident, Pedestrian Accident, Personal Injury, Truck Accident, Brain Injury, Negligent Hiring, Emotional Distress, Negligent Tort, Vicarious Liability, Respondeat Superior, Single-Vehicle Accident

A 17-year-old sustained a traumatic brain injury and severe internal injuries when a truck driver lost control and crashed onto the shoulder of a highway that the plaintiff was legally standing on. The plaintiff requires a lifetime of future therapy and caretaking services.

Top 10 Wrongful Death Settlements in Illinois in 2021

Listed as #5
Amount: $900,000
Attorneys: Susan A. Capra, Partner
Case: Estate of de Lomeli v. CDH-Delnor Health System, et al.
Type: Business Liability, Medical Malpractice, Professional Malpractice, Wrongful Death, Failure to Treat, Premature Discharge, Negligent Tort, Failure to Test

Mother’s death due to pulmonary embolism resulting from alleged improper treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum.

Clifford Law Offices lawyers are recognized leaders in personal injury and wrongful death case litigation in the areas of medical malpractice, train accidents, construction, transportation, aviation litigation, and other complex matters. View more of our top verdicts and settlements here.

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As social media content has evolved from static photos to entertaining, short-form videos, so have concerns over the privacy of its users.

In August 2022, a federal judge in Illinois gave final approval for a $92 million class-action settlement between social media giant TikTok and a class of users who claimed the social platform collected and shared their personal data without consent.

What is the TikTok Class Action Lawsuit?

Techcrunch reported in June 2021 that updates to TikTok’s privacy policy included a then-new section stating the video platform may collect biometric information, like faceprints and voiceprints.

This addition further expands the previously extensive scroll of listed data the app collects from its users.

Since then, over 21 federal lawsuits were filed against TikTok and parent company ByteDance, stating the platform collected personal data without formal user consent, which violates federal law, and shared that information with third parties like Google and Facebook to serve ads.

Shannon M. McNulty, partner at Clifford Law Offices, is part of the plaintiff team and heads mass tort/class action practice for the firm. She has worked on a number of high-profile cases involving various defective products, including a $34 million case settlement against Proline Casement windows and the concealment of their defective windows. In August 2022, Shannon was named 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” in the Chicago area by Best Lawyers® for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs.

What personal data was illegally collected?

The lawsuit alleges that TikTok used facial recognition to determine information related to a user’s identity, like gender, age, and race for the purpose of serving ads—and sent U.S. users’ data overseas to some third parties in China.

The plaintiffs alleged that personal data was collected from posted videos and draft videos that were never shared on the app.

Equally concerning are these lawsuits’ allegations concerning the illegal data mining and surveilling of users of tender age, with some as young as six years old.

How much is the settlement?

While TikTok has denied allegations brought against them, they have agreed to a $92 million settlement: arguably one of the biggest privacy-related settlements to date.

Class Members who used the TikTok app before September 30, 2021, and who filed a claim by March 1, 2022, are eligible to receive a payment.

How does this settlement impact Illinois residents?

Because TikTok’s actions violated Illinois privacy laws, which state companies must receive written consent to share user data with third parties, Illinois residents are in a subclass and will receive the biggest share.

How will TikTok treat user privacy going forward?

Under settlement terms, TikTok will no longer record a user’s biometric information; track their location via GPS, or collect data from draft videos.

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