As reported in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Friday, June 10, 2005
In Circuit Court
A Southwest Side woman has settled a malpractice lawsuit against a hospital doctor for $2.6 million.
Valerie Alford, 39, claimed that Dr. John Marcinak should have diagnosed her daughter's pneumonia when she brought the girl to the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center in January 2002.
The girl, Taadhameika Alford, was having trouble breathing, had a fever and had blood in her sputum, according to the plaintiff.
After ordering a chest X-ray, Marcinak discharged the girl, the suit said, and she returned the next day with pneumonia. Doctors discovered a hole in her lungs and she died in surgery on Jan 30.
Michael Paul Cogan of Cogan, McNabola & Dolan LLC represented Valerie Alford. Richard Hickey of Hickey, Melia & Associates Chtd. defended Marcinak. Cook County Circuit Judge Mary A. Mulhern heard the case and was expected to approve the settlement on Tuesday. Alford v. Marcinak, No. 03 L 161.
As reported in the Chicago Sun-Times
Friday, June 10, 2005
$2.6 million paid in girl's death
A woman whose daughter was sent home from the hospital with pneumonia received a $2.6 million settlement from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Taadhameika Alford was 14 years old when she went to the hospital with breathing problems and blood in her sputum. She was sent home, returned a day later and was found to have a hole in her lung, said her attorney Michael Cogan. She did not survive the surgery to repair the hole.
