The Illinois Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates has elected Nick Motherway to his fourth 3 year term as a member of the National Board of Directors. ABOTA is a national organization of trial lawyers and membership is by invitation. Its ranks are comprised of an equal number of plaintiff and defense lawyers actively involved in the trial of civil cases. ABOTA is dedicated to the preservation of the right to trial by jury and the integrity of the civil justice system.

A Cook County jury returned a 16 million dollar verdict Wednesday, October 15th, against a south suburban obstetrician, Peggy Fletcher, M.D. and her medical group, Primary Healthcare Associates, in a medical malpractice trial before Judge Richard J. Elrod. The award goes to a five year old Orland Park girl who suffered brain injuries when her mother’s uterus ruptured during labor at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in March of 1998. She was represented at trial by Nicholas J. Motherway. She has cerebral palsy, which has caused uncontrolled movement of her extremities and interferes with speech, although she has normal intelligence. The jury also awarded $225,000 to the girl’s parents, under the Family Expense Act. Court records show the verdict to be the largest ever in Cook County for this type of case.

Nick Motherway said the insurance coverage for the defendant doctor and her group exceeds the verdicts, and the damages awarded will allow the girl to lead a dignified life without financial burden.

Foley v. Fletcher, et al., 99 L 13945.

An eleven million dollar settlement has been approved by Judge Cheryl Starks of the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Case No. 98 L 6186, in connection with two of the deaths arising from a helicopter crash occurring on May 18, 1998, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The estates of Shinobu Sada, age 49, and Kazuya Yamaguchi, age 38, are each to receive 5.5 million dollars. Each left surviving a widow and one daughter. The families were represented by Nicholas J. Motherway and Robert J. Glenn of the firm of Motherway, Glenn & Napleton.

The decedents were Japanese citizens on temporary assignment as teachers at Futabakai Japanese School in Arlington Heights and were surveying property on behalf of the school at the time of the crash. The helicopter pilot and a third passenger, Yasuo Sato, age 62, also died in the crash, which was blamed on pilot error.