Articles Posted in Verdicts and Settlements

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers report that the City of Chicago is liable for the wrongful death of a victim of domestic violence for failure to arrest the assailant despite several 911 calls, the Illinois Appellate Court decided on January 17, 2013.

Henry Fenton was murdered by his girlfriend’s son, Rovale Brim, following a violent argument between Fenton, his girlfriend, and her son. The facts recited by the appellate court reveal that on March 4, 2002, Fenton called 911 at 1:37 am, alerting the emergency operator that his girlfriend’s son was arguing in loud and boisterous fashion and was violent. The operator dispatched police officers who were confronted with an “angry, drunken, and boisterous Rovale” who was yelling at his mother, and was making violent movements with a bottle in his hands. The officers separated the individuals, and escorted Rovale to his basement bedroom where he lived. They did not arrest Rovale at this time.

Fenton dialed the emergency 911 line for a second time at 2:30 am, and when the officers arrived at the home, they saw a similar situation as was developing earlier. At that time Rovale’s mother asked that he be removed from the residence. The officers allowed drunken Rovale to leave the residence, and wait outside in a zero degree temperature, for a girlfriend to pick him up. The officers left, while Rovale was waiting outside about a block from the home of his mother and Fenton.

A Chicago woman who suffered severe brain injuries after being hit by a malfunctioning door in a Rosemont, Illinois Target store has been awarded a $7 million settlement. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Claire Putman, 81, was entering a Target store at 7000 Mannheim Road on June 21, 2007, when a swinging door knocked her down and caused her head to hit the ground. Security video shows that the malfunctioning door swung open and struck her again.

Putnam suffered “diffuse brain injury” according to her attorney, and has some lasting cognitive deficiencies. She will move from a nursing home to her family’s home with medical costs being paid from the money she was awarded in the settlement.

A Cook County judge approved the settlement from Target and Besam USA, the manufacturer

Over the course of years Debbie Blake, deceased, complained to her doctors about shoulder pain. She was prescribed pain medication and anti-inflammatories but nothing relieved the pain. After years she was finally sent for an MRI which revealed a cancerous tumor located in her lung pressing on her brachial plexus. The MRI also showed that the cancer had metastasized to her brain which eventually lead to her death. A jury found against BroMenn Physicians Management Corp. for failing to diagnose the cancer sooner, depriving the plaintiff a chance to be cured. The jury awarded the estate of Debbie Blake $704,636.

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