Coles County Jury Returns Historic $40M Medical Malpractice Verdict

Reviewed By: Partner & Trial Attorney Miranda Soucie | Last Reviewed & Updated: September 24, 2026 Case Snapshot Case Type: Medical Malpractice / Birth Injury Jurisdiction: Coles County, Illinois (Mattoon) Verdict: $40,000,000 (Historic record for Illinois outside Cook County) Deliberation Time: Under 3 hours Plaintiffs: Kiera Campbell (19), Todd & Jaime Campbell Defendants: Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center & Attending…Read More

In January of 2022, reports came out by Health Canada that nearly ten times the previous number of reported cases for breast implant complications were reported all at once in a data dump scandal. Some of these reports included complications that led to rare cancers, as well as near misses which could be life-threatening if they occur again. Companies that…Read More

Intended to encourage the public to learn more about healthcare safety, National Patient Safety Awareness Week is being held during the week of March 14th-20th, led by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). This week in March serves as a dedicated time and platform to raise awareness about patient safety, advances that have already been made, and improvements that need…Read More

After having to wait hours in the emergency room at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, a 25-year-old teacher has died. However, she is not the only one who has experienced delays in receiving medical care at this facility. According to federal documents, Froedtert Hospital staff did not check the woman’s vital signs as often as they should have after she arrived…Read More

For the first time, September 17, 2019 is being recognized as World Patient Safety Day to increase awareness about the importance of keeping patients safe when they are in the care of medical facilities. Unfortunately, approximately 2.6 million deaths occur annually across the world due to about 134 million events that take place under the provision of less-than-safe care in…Read More

According to a report by USA Today, the United States is the most dangerous place to give birth in the developed world. Each year, more than 50,000 women are injured and about 700 die during or after childbirth. Half of these deaths and injuries are preventable with the proper care. To make matters worse, hospitals know what the proper care…Read More

The Illinois Supreme Court recently ruled in the case of Moon v. Rhode that the more liberal discovery rule applies to the case. As such, the potential time limit that plaintiffs are given to file medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuits is expanded. Normally, plaintiffs are given only two years from the discovery of an injury and its wrongful cause to file…Read More

Hospitals habitually are cautious when it comes to disclosing particular details of a medical procedure for fear of being slapped with a medical malpractice lawsuit if the operation did not go as smoothly as planned. However, in recent years, more hospitals are opting to be more open to their parents and their families instead of employing the “deny-and-defend" approach. In…Read More

Financial reports released on Friday, August 12 showed that the Committee to Protect AR Families, received more than $400,000 from attorneys during its first month of fundraising. The group is which is opposing a suggested change to the Arkansas Constitution that seeks to put a cap on lawyer fees in lawsuits against medical care providers. The committee was formed last month…Read More

How often do you here the phrase, “I made a mistake. I’m only human.”? Does that phrase also insinuate “I’m not accountable?” Every state has unique regulations that keep practicing doctors, teachers, and lawyers accountable for their decisions and actions. However, hearing that 2% of the nation’s doctors have been responsible for 50% of the total malpractice cases means that out of 100…Read More