Northwestern hospital hit with suit by cafeteria regular over alleged battery

An elderly man is suing a Chicago hospital, health care organization and four individuals, claiming he was battered in the hospital's cafeteria.

Allan S. Berman, 68, filed a lawsuit Feb. 4 in Cook County Circuit Court against Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), Northwestern Memorial Healthcare Corp., John Langsdahl and three unidentified or John Doe individuals.

According to the complaint, Langsdahl and the three John Does were employed as security guards at NMH, where Berman underwent surgery in late 2012 following a fall and fractured hip. When he returned in January and February 2013 for follow-up visits, the suit says Berman claims he became a regular patron of the facility’s cafeteria.

Berman claims he brought a cafeteria meal and left his tray to find a condiment on Feb. 4, 2013, when a security guard asked him to leave the cafeteria and then the three other guards seized him, threw him to the floor, handcuffed him, took him to the building’s basement, restrained him, and examined and photographed his identification card.

As a result of the incident, the suit contends Berman suffered bleeding, bruises, headaches and other injuries, plus emotional trauma, and he has needed an escort each time he returns to the hospital grounds.

Berman's suit includes counts alleging battery, unlawful imprisonment, intentional emotional distress and use of excessive force. He seeks compensation, damages and costs and is represented by attorney Joseph Morris of Morris & De La Rosa in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2015L001188.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. 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 represents only one side of the story.