Palos Community Hospital sued after patient dies

Palos Community Hospital, medical consultants and a doctor are facing a lawsuit after allegedly committing medical malpractice.

Vivian Anderson, individually and as executor of the Estate of Alma Baer, filed a lawsuit Dec. 6 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Dr. Rick A. Chadha, O'Reilly Medical Consultants and Palos Community Hospital, citing the state's wrongful death and survival acts, as well as the legal doctrine of respondeat superior.

The complaint states that from Nov. 15, 2011 through Nov. 23, 2011, Alma was a patient at Palos Community Hospital, where she underwent surgery. During surgery, the suit claims the defendants violated the standard of care and were negligent, causing Baer to die on Dec. 1, 2011.

The plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of the jurisdictional minimum and is being represented by attorneys John G. Kelly and Gregory R. Ignoffo of The Law Offices of John G. Kelly P.C.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2013L013836.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Cook County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.