John F. Winters | Attorney

MOTOR VEHICLE INJURY CASE RESULTS

$35.836 MILLION VERDICT - QUADRIPLEGIA FROM AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT: This jury verdict (reduced to $26,875,000.00 for 25% contributory negligence) was ruled in favor of a 51-year-old mother of two who sustained severe brain stem injury causing quadriplegia and cranial nerve injuries when she was broadsided by a Cook County Sheriff’s police officer traveling through a red light at approximately 70 miles per hour while en route to a low-priority "unwanted subject" call as an un-requested backup unit. The plaintiff was required to prove, and the jury found, that the officer’s conduct was willful and wanton. The defendant claimed that the officer was on an emergency call and was justified in her actions when going through the intersection. Attorney Paul Salzetta was able to exclude evidence of alcohol use due to unreliable testing and a showing that the client was not impaired and that alcohol played no part in the collision. This is one of the largest jury verdicts ever obtained against Cook County or any municipality in the state of Illinois.

BIRTH INJURY CASE RESULTS

$11 MILLION SETTLEMENT - BIRTH INJURY: Attorneys Timothy Richardson and Paul Salzetta - In November of 2003, a 38-week-old baby girl was born at Chicago area hospital with neonatal depression (Apgars of 3 and 5). No arterial cord gas was obtained. The plaintiff alleged the labor and delivery team negligently monitored the fetal heart tracings, failed to properly interpret the fetal heart tracings, and improperly continued with the administration of Pitocin in the presence of non-reassuring tracings and uterine hyperstimulation.