Woman Awarded $5 Million for Medical Malpractice

A 64-year-old woman was awarded $5 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The suit stemmed from injuries she received after treatment at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

According to court documents, Urmila Patel went to the hospital’s emergency room on May 5, 2011. She was weak, confused and may have had a seizure in the emergency room waiting room. Testing showed that she had a low sodium level. An initial diagnosis of severe hyponatremia was made. In other words, she was diagnosed as having a dangerously low level of sodium in her blood. She remained on sodium therapy for several days.

Patel did not improve and remained hospitalized. It was not until May 11 that she was transferred to University of Illinois Hospital where she was diagnosed with an injury to the brain. She was then placed in the care of a nursing home until the end of 2014 when she was deemed healthy enough to return home.

According to her lawyers, her brain injury was caused by the sudden increase of sodium during her initial treatments. Her settlement is broken down as follows: $2.5 million paid on behalf of her original three doctors, $1 million on behalf of Nephrology Associates of Northern Illinois and Indiana, and $1.5 million paid by Northwest Community Hospital.

If you believe that you have been the victim of medical malpractice, please call our offices today. We will work hard to get you the settlement you deserve. Call now for a free consultation.