HASSAKIS NEWSLETTER

Recent Recoveries

​36-year-old security guard was paralyzed because a spinal epidural abscess was not timely diagnosed. $1,9000,000.00 ...Read More

 Though fairly rare, the classic symptoms of this condition were clear when he first went to the emergency room. He was nevertheless sent home with a diagnosis of back pain. When his pain worsened he went to a different emergency room when an MRI was ordered at a third facility. Unfortunately the MRI report which was faxed to the ER doctor was lost and which was acknowledged only when the family called for the results. A second report was faxed to the hospital but no nurse bothered to read the report or even show it to a doctor. When the plaintiff’s condition worsened he went to the hospital but the staff could not find the MRI report, his chart or a doctor to examine him. The plaintiff went to the ER three times but no treatment was provided. About 30 hours later the spinal epidural abscess had spread to the extent that plaintiff became a paraplegic. A few hours later he went into a coma. After enduring a coma for two days he ultimately became a quadriplegic. He remained on a ventilator for four months and was hospitalized for 9 months. He requires significant home care and will not ever be able to function independently. This case was mediated and eventually settled for $1,900,000.00. ​

A YOUNG MARRIED CLIENTS TRAGICALLY LOST THEIR FIRST BORN SHORTLY AFTER DELIVERY AT THE HOSPITAL. $700,000.00 ...READ MORE

The case involved significant missed opportunities to deliver the child through a C-section.  Several retained expert witnesses were able to establish deviations from the standards of applicable care based on the information they had at the time.  The case was resolved in federal court after litigation, resulting in an award of $700,000.

​​24-YEAR-OLD PREGNANT FACTORY WORKER DELIVERED A BABY C-SECTION AT AN INDIANA HOSPITAL. $290,000.00  ...READ MORE

​After birth of the child, she felt fatigued and was diagnosed as having post-partum problems and iron deficiency. A chiropractor took x-rays which showed a foreign object, identified by him as a belt buckle. CT scan finally revealed the presence of a surgical sponge (38cm) wrongly left in the patient from surgery. A bowel resection was required. Settlement was for $40,000 as to the chiropractor for late diagnosis (his policy limit) and $250,000 from the doctor/hospital.

In the News

Animal LIABILITY concerns for pet owners   ...READ MORE

Animals can be a liability risk if they are not properly trained or maintained. If an animal has not been trained, injuries from scratches, scrapes, bites, jumping up and knocking someone over, with the attendant broken bones or other injuries, could not only increase your insurance premiums. Ways to train your animal could include obedience classes and social play times with other animals as well as other people. It is important to also spay and neuter your pets to reduce the tendency toward aggressive or domineering behavior. When walking your dog, a leash is always appropriate and in most cities, is the law. If your dog is excessively energetic or aggressive, a stronger collar and leash, harness or muzzle could help you avoid risky situations where your animal is out of control.
Exotic AnimalsExotic animals such as reptiles, spiders and poisonous amphibians may create an even greater risk of liability. Precautions must be taken with these kinds of pets such as registering them with the city or local animal control, alerting your neighbors of their existence should any pet escape, and securing the cage or terrarium that the animal or pet lives in. It could also help to detoxicate poisonous or non-indigenous animals, remove fangs (from snakes or spiders) and to never leave a wild animal unattended.
Farm AnimalsFarm animals can also be a liability risk if the proper precautions are not taken to keep them safely inside their pens or pastures and off of roadways. Always be sure to keep farm animal vaccinations up to date. Many animals such as horses are tame and “broken” before letting children or inexperienced riders on them.
What happens if you have an aggressive animal?If your animal has a history of aggressive behavior you may need to consider other options. Animals that are unable to be trained are an even greater legal risk. Generally an animal can only have one bite or incident before it is confiscated and quarantined. If you or someone you know is injured by a domesticated animal, take pictures of the injured area. “A picture is worth a thousand words” and gives a much better description of a contusion or bitten area and will greatly assist your case. Be sure to date pictures and record where the incident happened. Also remember to provide any medical documentation and timely notice of an animal bite or attack to the owner or maintainer of such animal.

WHAT should i do if i have been injured in a car accident? ...READ MORE

Being involved in a personal injury car accident can be scary, but it's important to keep calm.
Your first steps following a personal injury accident can affect the reimbursement that you get from your car insurance company if you file a claim. READ MORE

Once named, new U.S. attorney could have large impact on Peoria...READ MORE

PEORIA — Whomever the Trump administration picks as the top federal prosecutor for central Illinois will likely have a significant effect on Peoria in the coming months.
That's the office prosecuting former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, and the one overseeing a grand jury inquiry into tax practices at Caterpillar Inc.  READ MORE

​​52 YEAR OLD MALE WORKED AT A BAKERY. HIS LEFT LEG HAD BEEN RED, SWOLLEN AND WARM FOR FOUR DAYS. $750,000.00  ...READ MORE

He went to the emergency room twice and was diagnosed as having early cellulitis. He saw his family doctor and was then admitted to the hospital. Sores developed on his leg for which he was given an antibiotic, support stockings, told to elevate his leg, use whirlpools at the hospital and given topical treatment on the sores. During one whirlpool session the plaintiff blacked out. Numerous tests were done to determine the cause for his loss of consciousness. At no time was a venogram or a Doppler ultrasound or any other proper work-up for his leg problems considered or even performed. The failure to obtain a venogram or a Doppler ultrasound to rule out blood clots as the possible cause of the left leg problem was argued to be below the standard of care. Neither Heparin, a blood thinner, or Coumadin, an oral blood thinner, were prescribed. While these medications would not have destroyed the clots that were already present, they would have prevented new clots from forming. It was determined that a pulmonary embolism had most likely occurred when he blacked out which caused a clot in his leg to break loose. The client must now take Coumadin and pain medications the rest of his life, wear support stockings, get his blood checked every two weeks and follow a special diet. This case was settled just prior to trial for $750,000.00.

​PLAINTIFF COMPLAINING OF SEVERE CHEST PAINS SENT HOME FROM EMERGENCY ROOM WITHOUT CARDIAC TESTS AND LATER DIES. $475,000.00 
​...READ MORE

​​Hospital sent the plaintiff home without administering any cardiac tests even though plaintiff had a known history of cardiac problems to this hospital. Additionally, the hospital did not contact the plaintiff’s primary care physician. After being sent home, plaintiff died of a heart attack. $475,000 was secured for this medical malpractice victim.

SURGERY TO CORRECT ACUTE LARYNGITIS BOTCHED WHEN A CRITICAL NERVE WAS DAMAGED. $253,500.00  
​...READ MORE

During surgery the defendant physician injured the plaintiff’s laryngeal nerve leaving her permanently injured with difficulties breathing, speaking and swallowing and occasionally with greater physical complications should she get ill. Plaintiff suffered lost wages, medical expenses, physical and emotional trauma. A $253,500 settlement was obtained for her.

In the Community

MARK HASSAKIS APPOINTED AS NEW ALUMNI REGENT FOR NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ​...READ MORE

Northwestern Alumni Association’s Board of Directors  has recently recommended for appointment Mark D. Hassakis from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, 1973 Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences graduate, as an Alumni Regent for the Greater St. Louis and Southern Illinois region.  Then president Kathryn Mlsna and University President and Professor Morton Schapiro welcomed Hassakis to his new Regent appointment for his four-year term.  His role is to serve as a University ambassador representing Northwestern at inaugurations of college and university presidents.  In his new role, Hassakis will be acting in an advisory capacity to the St. Louis Club and hopes to provide coordination with other club leadership, alumni admission council directors, alumni board members and other affiliated groups.
Hassakis has already begun planning to host a reception for the new 2021 frosh class and other prospective applicants, current students and recent alums in the late summer/early fall, 2017.  Such gatherings go far to welcome students to the Northwestern family and to answer all those student and parent queries not always set out in materials.  An additional event is being considered for 2018 with a sports, performing arts or journalist focus for prospective students.
Northwestern University currently enrolls approximately 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students at its primary campuses in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois as well various satellite locations.  Northwestern is ranked 12th in the 2017 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges Ranking.  Hassakis now serves with approximately 19 fellow Regents across the world.

HASSAKIS & HASSAKIS, P.C. SPONSORS VICTOR GOINS QUINTET ...READ MORE

Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. was the major sponsor for an “Incredible Evening with Jazz” by the Victor Goines Quintet at the Mitchell Museum Performance Hall/Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon on Saturday, February 11, 2017.  Victor Goines, an acclaimed reedist musician, has toured the world and recorded with notable artists such as Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton, and is a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in New York and has performed with countless other national and international renowned musicians and orchestras.
In his professional career, Victor has served as artistic director of the Jazz program at Juilliard and is currently the director of Jazz studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.  As a jazz aficionado and educator, Victor Goines excels as a saxophonist and clarinetist.
A sellout crowd was in attendance, numbering 230, this being the second occasion in which Victor Goines has traveled to Mt. Vernon, Illinois with the first of which concerts was 3 years ago.  In addition to Victor Goines, the remaining group members were JoAnn Daughtery, pianist; Emma Dayhuff, bass fiddle; Greg Artry, drums; and Don Vappie,banjo/guitar/vocalist. The Victor Goines quintet performed pop, rock n’roll, Latino and downhome New Orleans style music, with original compositions by Daughtery, Vappie and Goines.
Victor Goines and Wynton Marsalis have as their primary goals as artists to share Jazz and introduce grade schoolers to the music whenever and wherever they perform. On this occasion on the Friday before the Saturday concert, they packed the Casey Junior High gym in Mt. Vernon, Illinois with hundreds of students, teachers and onlookers for an interactive dialogue with young volunteers from the audience performing some of the basic principles of Jazz music.  The questions from the crowd of students were “non-stop” from schools in the region participating.   The Hassakis and Hassakis, P.C. law firm was excited to support this valuable teaching to the school children, but also the Incredible Evening of Jazz for adult travelers from the Chicago area (nearly 20), to those throughout all of Southern Illinois from Edwardsville to the Indiana border and from all points north in Illinois down to Carbondale to see and hear this over-the-top performance on Saturday.