Corboy & Demetrio obtains $1 Million Settlement in Slip and Fall against NW Hospital
Corboy & Demetrio has settled a slip and fall case on behalf of a Schaumberg mother for $1,000,000.00 against Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She was represented by Corboy & Demetrio Partner Francis Patrick Murphy.
On Sunday, August 21, 2022, the mother, then 59, was staying at Northwestern Memorial Hospital because her daughter was a patient there. Going for Sunday dinner, the mother slipped on a recently mopped portion of the public lobby.
Evidence showed there were no warning signs posted as commonly required. The mother fell, breaking her left femur. Surgery was required, and she made a full recovery.
A security camera captured the dramatic and graphic fall. It showed a janitor failing to place signs and spot-mopping the floor. Thirty-five seconds later, the mother’s left foot is seen skidding on the wet floor and her sudden fall. The tape shows her lying on the floor for over 17 minutes before she is picked up by two nurses and put into a wheelchair. She was taken to the E.R. where she sat in a wheelchair for 4.5 hours before being admitted for surgery.
After concluding terms of settlement, NMH filed an Emergency Motion to bar the dramatic and graphic video from being shown to the public on the claim it may cause the public to reconsider treatment at NMH. After reviewing the video, a Circuit Court Judge agreed and barred the playing of the tape.
“When the video was finally produced in discovery, it was obvious this case was not going to be tried. Not only does it show our client falling right after the floor was mopped and her lying on the floor for more than 17 minutes, it also shows the custodian violating the cardinal rule of mopping a floor – placing warning signs before starting to mop,” Murphy said.
“It was no surprise defendant filed an emergency motion to block showing of the tape for the public,” Murphy added.
