Personal Injury Law Blog
University of Illinois intends to pay 10 million of 30 million dollar settlement
A medical malpractice case in which a toddler suffered a disastrous brain injury because of complications during surgery has resulted in a $30 million settlement proposal. The lawsuit, which was filed by the child’s mother, Ethel Chavez, alleges negligence against a pediatric surgeon named Dr. Mark Holterman, who operated on the baby during 24 exploratory surgeries. The baby’s birth was marked by a leak in his esophagus in November 2009. The suit claims that Dr. Holterman performed the last surgery in 2011, when he applied a suturing instrument that cut the toddler’s pulmonary artery.
Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez, a representative for the university’s Chicago campus, revealed that Dr. Holterman was working at the University of Illinois’ Chicago hospital at the time he carried out some of the prior procedures. He also performed an operation on the toddler at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. While the University of Illinois intends to pay $10 million of the settlement, Rush University Medical Center will pay the remaining $20 million.
Dr. Holterman is a member of the faculty at the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine, where he has taught for over 18 years, and he works at the campus that is located in Peoria. Because he is an employee of the university, he has coverage under the self-insurance program that provides for medical malpractice.
The board of trustees of the university is planning to think carefully about the settlement proposal at a meeting to be held in March.
Paul Greenberg is a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit https://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.
