Medical Malpractice Defense - Hall, Prangle & Schoonveld, LLC, Chicago IL

David C. Hall
Partner
Chicago
Email: dhall@hpslaw.com
David Hall specializes in several areas of medical litigation, particularly those matters involving catastrophic loss. Most of his cases involve brain-damaged infants, neurologically impaired adults, disfigured patients, and wrongful death claimants. He has litigated and tried numerous other health care matters involving nursing home liability, product liability, employment discrimination, physician credentialing, and class action suits. In recent years, the scope of David's practice has also included aviation and maritime accidents. His training as an accountant has helped him to address the economic damage issues that arise in many of his cases.
Throughout his 20-year career, David has represented many of the premier self-insured hospitals in the Greater Chicago area. He also handles numerous cases for some of the major physician insurers, including Illinois State Medical Insurance Services, TIG Insurance, and AP Capital Insurance Company. Finally, much of his practice involves several major hospital programs, including Health Care Indemnity, Inc.(Columbia HCA), Illinois Provider Trust, Chicago Hospital Risk Pooling Program, Doctors Community Health Corporation, Resurrection Health Care Corporation and The University of Illinois Hospitals.

David has gone to verdict in over three dozen jury trials. With very few exceptions, all of his trials have resulted in a defense verdict.

David frequently speaks on medical liability issues at law schools and conferences for hospital administrators and insurance claims staff.

Prior to heading up the HPS firm, David was the Department leader at Lord, Bissell & Brook's Medical Litigation Department.

Experience
  • Bryant v. LaGrange Memorial Hospital, et al. Court No. 96 L 11679, Law Division, Cook County. Minor plaintiff with severe cerebral palsy allegedly secondary to delay in performance of c-section. Settlement Demand: $8,000,000; Offer $4,000,000 ($3,000,000 on behalf of hospital client); Asked of Jury: $34,000,000. Verdict: Not liable - hospital; $30,000,000 - Co-defendant physician.
  • Tollefson v. Dr. Pleviak, et al. Court No. 85 L 9512, Law Division, Cook County. Minor plaintiff with spastic cerebral palsy allegedly secondary to improper maternal medication administration. Settlement Demand: $5,000,000; Asked of Jury: $17,000,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Morales v. Dr. Abreu, et al. Court No. 82 L 22712, Law Division, Cook County. Minor plaintiff with spastic cerebral palsy allegedly secondary to arrest occurring during neonatal surgery. Settlement Demand: $6,000,000; Asked of Jury: $18-22,000,000; Verdict: Hung jury.
  • Holman v. Northwest Community Hospital, et al. Court No. 94 L 8653, Law Division, Cook County. Death of wife and mother of two allegedly due to post-operative respiratory complication. Settlement Demand: $2,700,000; Asked of Jury: $15,000,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Pence v. Hoffman Estates Medical Center, et al. Court No. 90 L 6636, Law Division, Cook County. Patient grossly disfigured (lost approximately one-half of his face) allegedly due to misreading of cancer on pathology slides. Settlement Demand: $7,000,000; Asked of Jury: $13-16,000,000; Offer: $1,250,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Rooney v. Seadog, et al. 97 L 1615, Law Division, Cook County. 35-year-old triathlete struck down by Seadog high-speed tourist boat, resulting in severed leg. Settlement Demand $9.5 million; Asked of Jury - $27 million; Verdict: $10.8 million (later settled for $9+ million).
  • Heiland v. Hoffman Estates Medical Center, et al. Court No. 95 L 17007, Law Division, Cook County. Death of wife and mother of three, allegedly due to post-operative cardiac complications. Settlement Demand: $4,300,000; Asked of Jury: $6,000,000; Pretrial Offer: $1,250,000. Verdict: $525,000 as to multiple defendants.
  • Morrow v. Dr. Vohra, et al. Court No. 88 L 23451, Law Division, Cook County. Death of wife and mother of five (including a child with cerebral palsy). Settlement Demand: $2,000,000+; Asked of Jury: $8,000,000+. Verdict: Not liable for our defendant; $5.5 million as to co-defendants.
  • Williams v. Dr. Barker, et al. Court No. 81 L 15339, Law Division, Cook County. Death of 29-year-old after being in coma for seven years following complications for a thoracotomy. Settlement Demand: $8,000,000; Asked of Jury: $8,000,000. Verdict: Not liable as to our defendant, $2 million as to co-defendant.
  • The Estate of Rea Lorence, Deceased, v. Central DuPage Hospital and Dr. Arjmand. Court No. 00 L 008471, Law Division, Cook County. One and one-half-year-old toddler found dead in crib on Christmas Day morning - alleged failure to diagnose and treat dehydration. Settlement Demand: $1,000,000+; Asked of Jury: $5-7,000,000. Verdict: Not liable as to all defendants.
  • Stein v. Seadog Ventures, et al. Court No. 97 L 10933, Law Division, Cook County. 45-year-old married woman breaks back and becomes paralyzed while riding on a Seadog high-speed excursion on Lake Michigan. Treatment included fusion of her spine, and she has chronic pain syndrome and incomplete paraplegia of her lower extremities. Settlement Demand: $3,000,000; Offer: $1,600,000; Asked of Jury: $6,000,000. Verdict: $5,000,000 - Settled for $3,950,000 after verdict.
  • Sass v. Dr. Racher. Court No. 83 L 14432, Law Division, Cook County. Sterility of 15-year-old patient following ruptured appendix. Settlement Demand: $1,500,000; Asked of Jury: $4,700,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Mills v. Dr. Vohra, et al. Court No. 96 L 2789, Law Division, Cook County. Death of husband and father of two following complications of dialysis treatment. Settlement Demand: $600,000. Asked of Jury: $3,000,000+. Pretrial offer: $100,000. Verdict: $742,000 (after $400,000 setoff).
  • Zokoych v. Dr. Whitcomb, et al. Court No. 94 L 1621, Law Division, Cook County. Death of husband, allegedly due to post-operative respiratory complications. Settlement Demand: $1,000,000; Asked of Jury: $2,500,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Doe v. Hoffman Estates Medical Center. Court No. 89 L 18021, Law Division, Cook County. Sexual assault of patient by respiratory therapist; negligent hiring/supervision issue. Settlement Demand: $1,000,000; Asked of Jury: $2,500,000; Pretrial Offer: $100,000. Verdict: $120,000.
  • Peterson v. Dr. Rinaldi. Court No. 85 L 277, Law Division, Cook County. Death of two-week-old infant secondary to cardiac complications.Settlement Demand: $1,500,000; Asked of Jury: $1,000,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Garcia v. Edgewater Hospital. Court No. 83 L 14109, Law Division, Cook County. Death of wife and mother of three following insertion of defective mitral valve replacement; strict liability products suit. Settlement Demand: $2,000,000. Asked of Jury: $2,000,000. Verdict: $645,000 (after $200,000 setoff). Case reversed on appeal.
  • Mitchell v. Nicholas Caro, M.D. Court No. 98 L 00784, Law Division, Cook County. Plaintiff had stormy post-operative course with permanent vision problems secondary to LASIK refractive surgery. Asked of Jury: $1,200,000. Verdict: Not liable.
  • Huffman v. Little Company of Mary Hospital. Court No. 81 L 8123, Law Division, Cook County. Death of mother of seven following ruptured spleen. Settlement Demand: $300,000. Asked of Jury: $1,000,000. Verdict: Not liable.

In addition to the above, David has tried approximately 15 other less-exposure cases to verdict, including medical malpractice, premises liability, and physician credentialing issues. Each of those trials resulted in a not-liable verdict.

Education
University of Michigan, J.D., 1983, cum laude
Michigan State University, B.A., 1980, High Honors; Phi Kappa Phi

Bar Admissions
Illinois, 1983

Courts
U.S. Court of Appeals (Federal Circuit), 1983

Professional and Community Organizations
Illinois State Bar Association
Copyright © 2002 Hall, Prangle & Schoonveld, LLC All Rights Reserved
The firm of Hall Prangle & Schoonveld is committed to delivering the highest quality litigation services to the health care community. Our emphasis is on trial work, with many of our cases involving catastrophic loss. While the majority of our practice involves medical malpractice defense, we also handle numerous other matters including product liability, employment issues, physician credentialing and commercial litigation. Hall Prangle & Schoonveld is devoted to the tireless defense of our clients, including many prestigious hospitals, health care systems, and professional liability carriers operating both locally and nationally.