HSPRD has obtained a record $20 million settlement for the wrongful death of Dayna Less, the 24-year-old pharmacist who was killed by an active shooter as she was leaving work at a Chicago-area hospital in November 2018.
HSPRD filed suit against the hospital and its hired security company in November 2019 to hold the defendants accountable for failing to warn and protect Dayna after the active shooting began. The $20 million pre-trial settlement HSPRD ultimately obtained marks an Illinois record for wrongful death cases involving a decedent who left no dependents. HSPRD secured the settlement after more than four years of hard-fought litigation involving numerous discovery battles and extensive, contested motion practice.
Dayna was, by all accounts, a remarkable young woman. Having experienced chronic headaches as a teenager, Dayna chose to devote her life to easing the suffering of others through the practice of pharmacy. She had just begun her pharmacy career and was engaged to be married to her high school sweetheart when her life was tragically cut short.
Dayna was also the only child of Brian and Teena Less, and she shared a uniquely close bond with them throughout her life. Alongside HSPRD, Brian and Teena continued to advocate for Dayna after her death and refused to stop fighting until they achieved justice for Dayna.
“The record size of the settlement speaks to how special Dayna was as a person, the unique relationship she had with her parents, Brian and Teena, and the enormity of their loss,” said HSPRD attorney Mark Dym, who represented Brian and Teena.
HSPRD attorney Kate Schwartz added, “We are so honored and proud to have fought on behalf of Dayna and her parents and to have obtained this excellent result, which we hope will provide Brian and Teena with some solace as they continue to remember the life of their remarkable daughter.”
HSPRD’s team of attorneys included Mark Dym, Matthew Piers, Kate Schwartz, and Justin Tresnowski.
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