A Long Grove couple is suing doctors and health care businesses, alleging a botched hernia surgery.
James Kakos and Helen Kakos filed a lawsuit June 30 in Cook County Circuit Court against Dr. Jesse Butler, Spine Consultants, Dr. Jerry Bauer, the Center of Brain and Spine Surgery, Dr. Steven M. Mardjetko, the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Dr. Olivia Wang, Dr. Austin Chen, and Advocate Health and Hospitals Corp., doing business as Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, alleging nine counts of medical negligence.
According to the complaint, on June 30, 2013, James Kakos went to the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital emergency room in Park Ridge, six days after a lumbar discectomy for a disc herniation performed by Butler. He was complaining of severe pain down his right leg, the lawsuit states, and also was complaining of weakness in his right foot.
The suit says an MRI was ordered by Chen, and the MRI indicated "residual/recurrent disc herniation." Kakos was admitted to the hospital, the lawsuit states, and treated by Butler, Bauer, Mardjetko, Wang and Chen, despite experiencing pain and weakness in his right leg and foot.
On July 2, the complaint states, Kakos underwent a discectomy revision performed by Bauer and Mardjetko, and was released home the next day with no improvement in his "right foot drop," from which he continues to suffer.
James Kakos seeks damages in excess of $450,000, plus costs. His wife, citing loss of consortium, seeks damages in excess of $450,000, plus costs. They are represented by attorneys Stacey L. Leinheiser and David A. Axelrod of David A. Axelrod & Associates in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L006691.