Developments

A Cook County jury awarded a nearly $1.6 million verdict in favor of a woman who suffered nerve injury following reconstructive surgery in 2007.

On October 4, 2007, plaintiff, Gale Cook, now age 58, was seriously injured while delivering a precast concrete septic tank for his employer, Sebens Concrete Products.

Robert J. Napleton recently spoke at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a 36,000 member organization.  The 2 hour program was entitled “Providing Expert Opinion and Testimony.”  Mr. Napleton gave the plaintiff’s perspective.  The 2011 Annual Meeting was attended by 10,279 orthopedic surgeons from all...Read More

Nicholas J. Motherway spoke at the seminar on the new Illinois Rules of Evidence presented by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association on Dec. 4, 2010, at the Westin Chicago.  Mr. Motherway presented a review on the law related to the admissibility of testimony of expert witnesses.  A copy of his...Read More

  A distributor of racecar seats that are sold and marketed for regular passenger vehicles has paid the lion’s share of a $6.3 million settlement reached in the case of a woman who was rendered a quadriplegic.   The lawsuit stemmed from an accident that occurred on May 15, 2005,...Read More

Nick Motherway and Bob Napleton have both been conferred the “Top One Hundred Trial Lawyers” award by the American Trial Lawyers Association, a national group of prominent attorneys dedicated to the art of jury trial advocacy. The partners said they were proud to have received this recognition and were grateful...Read More

On March 11, 2010 Judge William Maddux approved a 6 million dollar settlement on behalf of an 11 year old girl who suffered from cerebral palsy due to the defendant MacNeal Hospital’s failure to properly monitor the augmentation of labor with Pitocin.  As a result, the baby was deprived of...Read More

On January 27, 2010 Judge William Maddux approved a 1.35 million dollar settlement agreed upon prior to a lawsuit being filed for the death of a six day old boy whose death was caused by the failure of the residents and nursing staff of Rush Medical Center to properly monitor...Read More

There are more than 85,000 licensed attorneys in Illinois.  In a recent state-wide survey published in Leading Lawyers Network Magazine, partners Nick Motherway and Bob Napleton were named as among the top 100 consumer lawyers in the state.

When a three month old baby girl was being prepped for a heart test at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, she was covered by an electric heating pad which burned her right foot.  Multiple skin grafts were needed to treat the burn, resulting in a settlement achieved by Nicholas...Read More

The Illinois Supreme Court has re-appointed Nicholas J. Motherway to another three year term on the Court’s Rules Committee to December 31, 2012.  The Rules Committee recommends to the Court whether proposed changes to any of the rules which govern discovery, trials and appeals are needed and whether a given...Read More

On December 23, 2007, Sigismunda Rizzo, age 86, walked across the street to her neighbor’s house to deliver a tray of Christmas cookies.  On her way back from her neighbor’s house she was struck by a vehicle driven by a Salvadore Guzman.  Ms. Rizzo was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital...Read More

Dan Madigan was recently elected to the Assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association.  The ISBA Assembly is the policy making body of the Association.  Dan expects to be voting on a variety of important issues during his three year term.

Nicholas T. Motherway has been appointed to the Illinois State Bar Association Tort Council.  The Council recommends to the Illinois State Bar Association Assembly what position the Association should take on tort issues.

On May 1, 2009 a settlement was reached with the defendant OB/GYN and his Practice Group through their liability insurance carrier, Illinois Insurance Services Exchange (ISMIE) for their entire policies of insurance.  The case was pending in Will County.     Don M. Sowers represented the plaintiff.

Leading Lawyers Network is a publication that recognizes Illinois attorneys who have excelled in their respective field.  The Leading Lawyers Network recognizes the top 5% of all Illinois attorneys. 

Illinois Super Lawyers® is a magazine published by attorneys exclusively for attorneys and adheres to a rigorous selection process.  The only way a lawyer can be listed in Illinois Super Lawyers magazine is through this selection process.  The Top 100 Super Lawyers selection process consists of a statewide survey of...Read More

The Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter publishes thousands of summaries of civil jury verdicts in the State of Illinois each year.  Since 1959, it is the preeminent source of information for the legal community as it relates to a trial lawyer’s civil jury verdict track record. The case of Bobbi Jo...Read More

$4.75 Million settlement has been reached on behalf of a 50 year old man who suffered an anoxic event during the performance of a transesophageal echocardiogram at a Lake County Medical Facility.   As a result of the loss of oxygen the plaintiff now suffers from action myoclonus.  This is a...Read More

A Livingston County jury has awarded a $14.6 million judgment to a woman who lost part of her leg while working as a flagger on a highway construction site. In September 2002, a concrete cutter that had a 9-foot wheel climbed out of its trench and went out of control,...Read More

The family of a sportscaster who died of a heart problem after his doctor allegedly failed to perform tests has settled his lawsuit against the doctor and the hospital where the doctor’s office was located for more than $1.5 million dollars. Darrian Chapman, 37, died in 2002, a few days...Read More

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Bob Napleton as the Chairman of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Mr. Napleton to a 3 year term expiring on December 31, 2010 . This important committee studies and recommends new jury instructions for...Read More

A three million dollar settlement has been reached on behalf of a four year boy who, at 2 weeks of age, suffered a cardiac arrest in the intensive care nursery at the University of Chicago Hospital ten days after he had undergone surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. Just...Read More

Robert J. Napleton has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America . The induction ceremony at which Robert J. Napleton became a Fellow took place recently before an audience of 810 persons during the recent 2007 Spring Meeting of...Read More

Lawyers for St. James Hospital and Medical Center and the family of a man who died 12 years after the hospital allegedly failed to detect a malignant skin lesion have settled a wrongful-death lawsuit for $1 million. In December 1988, the hospital’s pathology department allegedly failed to diagnose a malignant...Read More

In October, 2003, a jury awarded Hannah Foley sixteen million dollars in damages for the brain damage she suffered at birth at Ingalls Hospital in Harvey, Illinois on March 17, 1998. The child was represented at trial by Nick Motherway. The judgment was against Dr. Peggy Fletcher, the delivering obstetrician,...Read More

Dan Madigan was recently named as one of 40 Chicago Area lawyers under the age of 40 recognized in the legal community as lawyers to watch as their careers skyrocket toward the top of their profession. Dan’s selection for this elite group is the end result of a peer selected...Read More

Motherway & Napleton, LLP has won a $2.25 million settlement on behalf of a 40-year-old man who died of a heart attack hours after he allegedly was examined and released by a doctor. On September 5, 2002 , a suburban Chicago man visited Dr. Cynthia Victor, whose Family Medical Center...Read More

The Illinois Supreme Court recently appointed Bob Napleton to the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility. The Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility appointed Mr. Napleton for a term expiring December 31, 2005 , and he replaced the Honorable Sophia H. Hall. The Committee meets periodically to ensure...Read More

The Illinois Supreme Court recently appointed Bob Napleton to the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Mr. Napleton to a three year term expiring December 31, 2007.

Nicholas J. Motherway has agreed to participate in the 2005 Advocacy Showcase being presented on May 7, 2005 , by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association at the Double Tree Guest Suites in Chicago . The program, which involves leading Chicago trial lawyers in the mock trial of an employee business...Read More

A machinist who lost his right arm in a industrial accident has settled his personal-injury claims for $2.35 million. David Ethridge also obtained a waiver of workers compensation liens of nearly $597,000. Cook County Circuit Judge William D. Maddux formally approved the settlement on April 14, 2005 . Ethridge, of...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More

A Cook County Circuit Court jury has awarded $2.7 million to the family of a Midlothian man after finding that his 2002 death from heart disease resulted, in part, from medical negligence. The jury awarded the family of Scott Tracy $5.4 million, ruling his death resulted from negligence on the...Read More

Steve Warf, 46, a drag-racing crew member from LaGrange Highlands, was working on a car engine at a Top Fuel Drag race in Columbus, Ohio, three years ago when the car’s owner turned on the engine. It took off the middle finger and the tips of three other fingers on...Read More

On January 28, 2003, Judge Mary Mulhern approved a $3 million dollar settlement on behalf of the Estate Richard Hoselton against Dr. Rodolfo Mejicano. Dr. Mejicano allegedly failed to diagnose and properly treat Mr. Hoselton’s significant coronary artery disease. Richard Hoselton suffered a fatal heart attack on November 29, 1997....Read More

The two remaining parties in a medical malpractice case settled for $1.125 million Thursday, bringing the total settlement amount to $7.625 million. Cook County Circuit Judge John A. Ward approved the settlement. The plaintiff, Carl Musillo, sued Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center and two doctors, alleging that the parties failed to...Read More

Motherway, Glenn and Napleton has announced that Robert J. Glenn is leaving the firm effective January 1, 2003, ending a twenty year relationship with the firm and its predecessor, Motherway and Glenn. The firm will continue, as Motherway and Napleton, concentrating in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. Glenn plans...Read More

A $6.5 million settlement has been approved by Cook County Circuit Judge Bill Taylor in a lawsuit filed by a man who claimed that doctors negligently failed to administer an appropriate vaccine after his spleen was removed. After years of health problems, Carl Musillo was diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis in...Read More

On October 15, 2002, Robert J. Napleton gave a speech at the Westin Hotel at an Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Seminar on the subject of “Liens on Personal Injury Cases” before a large group of Chicago trial lawyers.

MacNeal Memorial Hospital has agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that nurses failed to monitor a 69-year-old patient after total knee replacement surgery. Cook County Circuit Judge William D. Maddux, who presides over the Law Division, approved the settlement today. Frank Perez, a retired sheet...Read More

Cook County Circuit Judge William D. Maddux approved a settlement of nearly $1.4 million in a wrongful-death case involving a 35-year-old woman who died of a pulmonary embolism, apparently after being misdiagnosed with dehydration at a suburban hospital. A day after being released from the hospital emergency room, the woman...Read More

A disabled girl from Robbins will receive a $15 million dollar award for improper medical care under the terms of a settlement approved by Cook County Judge Benjamin Novoselsky. The settlement is the highest malpractice payout in Cook County Hospital history. The settlement was approved by the County Board on...Read More

On January 19, 2002, Robert J. Napleton gave a speech at the DoubleTreeHotel at a Illinois Trial Lawyer’s Association seminar on the subject of “Screening Potential Cases” before a large crowd of Chicago trial lawyers. The seminar audience consisted of attorney members of the Illinois Trial Lawyers’s Association who came...Read More

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...Read More

The Illinois Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates has re-elected Nick Motherway as its representative on the Board of Directors of The American Board of Trial Advocates, a national trial lawyers organization. ABOTA membership is by invitation only and the membership is comprised equally of trial lawyers who...Read More

Robert J. Napleton gave a speech at the Chicago Bar Association on the subject of establishing medical negligence from a plaintiff’s lawyer’s perspective before a large crowd of Chicago attorneys. The seminar audience consisted of attorneys from the young lawyers division of the Chicago Bar Association. Below is a copy...Read More

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...Read More

Below is a copy of Nick Motherway’s seminar materials provided to the seminar audience on May 5, 2001.