CHICAGO — A Cook County woman says doctors at Illinois Cancer Specialists misdiagnosed her sister’s hepatitis B, leading to liver failure and death.
Susan M. Lode, independent executor of the estate of Karen S. Karnik, filed a lawsuit Jan. 27 in Cook County Circuit Court against Dr. Robert W. Galamaga, Illinois Cancer Specialists P.C., Dr. Daniel O’Reilly, Alpha Med Physicians Group LLC, O’Reilly Medical Consultants S.C. and O’Reilly Physician Consultants LLC, alleging wrongful death. Named as respondents in discovery are Dr. Haider A. Shirazi, Radiation Oncology S.C., Dr. Jean M. Garbolski and Dr. Jean Garbolski and Associates S.C.
According to the complaint, after Karnik was diagnosed on March 7, 2014, with elevated liver enzymes, she underwent a hepatitis B antibody test, which proved negative. Upon referral to O’Reilly, the suit says she received four doses of chemotherapy to treat her lymphoma between April 23 and July 9, 2014, and began radiation treatment. When Karnik's liver enzymes remained elevated, she was later diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, the claim states, and admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with liver failure. Karnik died Sept. 24, 2014.
Lode seeks damages of more than $50,000. She is represented by attorney James C. Harman of Cirignani Heller & Harman LLP in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court Case number 2016-L000890