The Lincoln Home nursing home in Belleville, Illinois is being sued by Doris I. Schaeperkoetter's estate executor, Carol Kiefer, for nursing home malpractice, negligence and wrongful death.  The lawsuit filed in St. Clair County Court also names the home's owner, Weiss Management Group, LLC, as a defendant.

Schaeperkoetter stayed at the nursing home from July 2008 until her passing in January 2010.  Kiefer says she filed the suit against The Lincolm Home because she felt that during he stay, Schaeperkoetter was not given the proper attention or care expected to keep her healthy.  Court documents state that because of the home's negligence, Schaeperkoetter suffered from hypoxia, sepsis and dehydration, all of which led to her death.

The lawsuit seeks more than $200,000 in damages.

The Department of Health & Human Services recently released a report of statistics concerning hospital injuries and fatalities.  According to the report, 1 in 7 hospitalized Medicare patients is the victim of a treatment mistake.  Medical researchers estimated that these mistakes account for 180,000 deaths a year.

The report indicated three main causes for the treatment mistakes including urinary tract infections from catheters, incorrect medications and excessive bleeding after surgery.  CNN Health suggests that patients always bring someone with them to the hospital, know the medications they are taking and beware of catheters to lessen the chance of suffering from a treatment mistake.

The President and CEO of the American Hospital Association, Rich Umbdenstock, stated, "While hospitals have made great strides in improving care, this report highlights that there is more we can do".

To discuss filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, contact the Chicago injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 today. 

According to a study conducted by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, half of doctors graduating from medical school in Illinois plan to leave the state to begin their practice.  The study involved 561 medical students in Illinois and asked them where they hoped to practice after graduating and why.  Approximately 50 percent of participants said that they planned to leave the state.

Researchers found the most common reason for medical students wanting to leave Illinois were to be closer to family, more opportunities to work in their specialty and salary.  70 percent of medical students that said they planned to leave Illinois to start their practice cited high medical malpractice insurance premiums and the state's recent removal of a cap on damages in medical malpractice cases as a reason.

If you have been the victim of medical malpractice or hospital negligence, contact the Chicago medical malpractice attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 to set up an appointment to discuss your options. 

Earlier this month, the Obama administration approved funds to be distributed to universities, medical centers, and state health departments in an attempt to reduce the costs and number of medical malpractice suits across the country.  25 million dollars worth of grants will hopefully reduce injury and improve doctor/patient communication, and as a result lower liability insurance premiums and minimize medical malpractice lawsuits.

President Obama promised Republicans in Congress last September that he would address the issue of medical malpractice in the United States.  He stated, "I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I've talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing unnecessary costs".

If your or someone you love has been a victim of medical malpractice, contact the Chicago medical malpractice attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. at 312-466-8200 to learn more about your rights.

On December 26, 2002, 9 year old Jaquieze Hogans went to the West Suburban Medical Center Emergency Room for chest pains, vomiting, cough and loss of appetite. There the doctor failed to properly diagnose the problem, calling it pneumonia, and discharged the boy two days later after using the wrong treatment.

On February 3, 2003, the boy returned to the emergency room, suffering from worsening symptoms, and was transferred to Rush Medical Center. The next day he was properly diagnosed with blastomycosis, a fungal infection. He was properly treated at Rush Medical Center - but it was too late. On February 9, 2003, he died due to the spread of the infection.

Friedman & Bonebrake took the case on behalf of the boy's mother, bringing about a verdict in her favor. The jury awarded her $4,016,929.09 for wrongful death, pain and suffering, medical bills and funeral expenses.

If you or someone you know has had to experience the pain of medical malpractice, contact the Chicago personal injury attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake, PC at 312-466-8200.