$7.5 Million Medical Malpractice Jury Verdict

An update to the $7.5 Million verdict that was reached in the Circuit Court of Lake County (Illinois) back in February of 2006: As expected by the Plaintiff, The Illinois Appellate Court announced that they have affirmed the ruling of the trial court and the verdict of the jury.

The case garnered media attention back in late 1999 when a 12-year old boy died on an operating table during what was considered to be a minor surgery to repair a cut on his arm. On December 14, 1999, Andrew Muno was taken to the Emergency Room at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville (Illinois) for treatment of a cut on his left arm that he sustained after falling at his home. Andrew’s parents, Barton and Darlene Muno alleged, through their attorneys Michael P. Schostok and David G. Pribyl of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., that their son Andrew developed respiratory difficulties after he received an antibiotic that he was allergic to. Despite these breathing difficulties, the surgery was started by Dr. Andrew J. Kontrick, M.D., one of the defendants in the case. Soon after the surgery ended, Andrew redeveloped severe breathing difficulties and died on the operating table. The Plaintiffs alleged that Dr. Kontrick, and the anesthesiologist, Dr. Dale S. Gordon, M.D., should have stopped the operation so that Andrew Muno’s breathing difficulties could have been controlled.

[BARTON E. MUNO and DARLENE E. MUNO, Independent Co-Administrators of the Estate of ANDREW MUNO, deceased vs. CONDELL MEDICAL CENTER, an Illinois corporation, DALE S. GORDON, M.D., LAKE COUNTY ANESTHESIOLOGITS, LTD., an Illinois corporation, ANDREW J. KONTRICK, M.D., S.C., an Illinois corporation. (Court No: 00 L 895)]