A Cook County jury awarded more than $5 million to the family of a baby who died in the emergency room of Hinsdale Hospital in May 2008, according to court records.
The jury in the Daley Center in Chicago returned the verdict Friday in the lawsuit against the emergency room physician, Dr. David Mayor, and Emergency Health Care Physicians. Hinsdale Hospital contracts with Illinois Emergency Medicine Specialists, formerly known as Emergency Health Care Physicians, to provide physicians to staff its emergency room, said hospital spokesman Julie Busch.
Eli G. Haig, with his twin sister, was born March 21, 2008 in Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, the Haig family’s attorney, Jerry Latherow, said. His sister was healthy, but the left side of Eli’s heart was underdeveloped due to a rare congenital heart defect, known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Latherow said. Eli underwent the first of three surgeries recommended to treat the syndrome and stayed at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital for about three weeks, Latherow said.
Two other surgeries usually are recommended between the ages of 4 months and three years, but the surgeries do not cure the condition, according to information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Latherow said Eli’s doctors told the family that whenever Eli started acting unusually, he should go to the nearest hospital from where he would be transported to Hope Children’s Hospital.
That happened on May 5, when Eli was crying excessively.
Excessive crying can overtax the heart of babies with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Latherow said.
At the Hinsdale Hospital emergency room on May 5, Eli was given a sedative called Versed to stop his crying, Latherow said. Eli then was transferred to Hope where he was hospitalized. He was discharged May 9, Latherow said.
On May 16, Eli had diarrhea and was crying excessively, so his family, who lives in Westmont, took him to Hinsdale Hospital, where he was again given Versed, Latherow said.
The Haigs’ attorneys argued Eli was not crying when he was given the drug, so there was no need to administer it. They also said Eli’s cardiologist recommended he be hydrated before Versed was administered. The Haigs’ attorneys said that step was not taken and due to Eli’s dehydration, he could not properly absorb the Versed. Eli heart rate slowed, and Mayor called Eli’s cardiologist at Hope to confer, Latherow said.
Mayor should have been intubating Eli, instead of making a phone call, Latherow said. Eli died in the emergency room in Hinsdale, Latherow said.
The family sued not only Mayor, but also Hinsdale Hospital, Advocate Christ Medical Center and Eli’s cardiologist at Hope. Hinsdale Hospital settled for $250,000 and Christ Medical Center settled for $25,000, Latherow said.
The complaint against Eli’s cardiologist were dismissed, Latherow said.
On Friday, a jury awarded $5,072,030 to Eli’s parents and his 7-year-old twin sister for grief, mental suffering and burial expenses.
Busch said Hinsdale Hospital does not comment on any litigation matters.
Mayor and Christ Medical Center did not return calls for comment by press time.
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