Brain Injuries | Cirignani Heller & Harman, LLP

A stroke will drastically change the life of anyone who is a victim of one.  Stroke victims often find themselves dealing with some very serious long-term conditions: Paralysis Impaired speech Loss of the use of extremities Cognitive impairment Depression Increased risk for successive strokes Causes of a Stroke A stroke is caused by a disruption in […]

Surgeries are never risk-free. They can result in unintended injuries, even under the best care; however, there are some types of injuries that raise an immediate red flag to medical malpractice lawyers. Brain injuries during surgery are one of those types of “red-flag” injuries. They are the type of injury that should almost never occur, […]

Joy and celebration should fill the home when a new child joins your family. But there are cases where sadness, fear, and anxiety dominate the day. This is because sometimes our children are the victim of a birth injury. While advances in medical care and better training and attentiveness of doctors and nurses have brought […]

We frequently work with families struggling to understand a cerebral palsy diagnosis, including what caused the condition and how it will impact their child’s future. To provide a resource and starting place for these families, we recently published a white paper titled “Cerebral Palsy: A Message Of Hope For Illinois Families.” The most important piece […]

Many people wrongly assume that medical procedures that are considered to be cosmetic in nature are somehow safe or carry fewer risks than other surgical procedures. Sadly, for the family of one 18-year-old teen mother, the reality of exactly how dangerous so-called cosmetic procedures can be is all too real. Last August the 18-year-old mother […]

A 13-year-old girl, who suffered from sleep apnea, recently underwent a medical procedure to remove her tonsils. Doctors recommended the procedure, hoping the routine tonsillectomy would help cure the girl’s sleep condition. Three days after the so-called routine procedure, the girl was declared brain death. Today, the girl’s family sits beside her hospital bed as […]

Individuals impacted by brain damage often suffer permanent and debilitating injuries that deeply affect their quality of life. In cases where a brain injury is the result of a medical error, the extent of damage and a patient’s prognosis is often unknown and may take months or even years to assess. As with most injuries, […]

The human brain is undoubtedly the most important and complex of all human organs. Not only is the brain responsible for nearly every bodily process, but parts of the brain essentially comprise an individual’s personality, emotions and very humanity. It stands to reason, therefore, that a brain injury can have devastating and far-reaching implications on […]

Children with serious injuries and illnesses often present a major challenge to physicians. Often, these patients are unable to explain where or what hurts, making it difficult to decide on the best way to treat the problems. As part of the examination, doctors will ask for several tests to be conducted, including CT scans, to […]

In December 2008, a diabetes patient underwent a controversial operation that had been advised by his doctor. The patient, a father of two young children, thought that the operation would improve his health. He was wrong. The man suffered a permanent brain injury during the operation. The controversial operation known as “manipulation under anesthesia,” involved […]

Many Joliet residents may associate brain injuries with concussions suffered during sporting events or serious accidents involving slips, trips and falls. However, another common cause of a brain injury is medical negligence. Lack of oxygen or lack of blood flow to the brain are serious problems that may cause a patient to suffer a disabling […]

Folks in Chicago may be at risk of suffering traumatic brain injuries when they are involved in car accidents, are harmed while playing sports, or become injured after a slip-and-fall accident. And Chicago natives who are serving our country overseas may also be at risk of suffering TBIs when they are injured during combat. The […]

Last month, we had mentioned in a post on our Chicago medical malpractice law blog that researchers estimate that as many as 4,000 “never events” are made every year while operating on patients in Illinois and throughout the country. Surgical never events include operating on the wrong patient, the wrong side of the body, or […]

Earlier this year, a young woman had an endoscopy performed so that doctors could try to figure out what was causing the woman to experience odd stomach pain. The procedure involves inserting a small camera inside a patient’s body to get a close look at different organs and parts of the body. Although the procedure […]

Illinois women who are currently pregnant or have been pregnant understand that it is important for them to visit their doctors on a regular basis throughout their pregnancies. During prenatal care checkups, doctors will perform exams to make sure women are healthy throughout their pregnancies. Doctors will also perform medical tests to make sure women […]

Our Joliet medical malpractice blog often discusses the types of injuries and health complications patients may experience when doctors and hospitals fail to provide proper treatment to patients who are involved in accidents that result in severe brain injuries. Brain injuries must be properly diagnosed and monitored by doctors because brain injuries have the potential […]

Patients in Joliet who undergo surgery or other medical procedures trust that their doctors will perform operations and procedures with the utmost care and attention. Although a surgery or procedure may be routine, doctors must acknowledge that there are risks. Doctors must also acknowledge that their patients’ medical conditions may make them susceptible to suffering […]

Chicago patients may feel some pain and discomfort for a few days after getting their wisdom teeth pulled. Fortunately, the recovery from this surgery is fairly quick, and many teens and young adults experience no complications after the surgery. But for one teen, a routine wisdom teeth surgery resulted in a severe brain injury. The […]

It is estimated that more than 1.5 million people suffer brain injuries every year in our country. Brain injuries have the potential to cause severe physical and mental impairments, especially when these injuries are not diagnosed properly or treated immediately. In order to raise more awareness of the prevalence of brain injuries, symptoms of injuries, […]

In Chicago, some nursing home patients need assistance doing very basic activities like using the restroom and eating their food. These patients require extra care and attention, and when they do not receive the assistance they need, the consequences may be devastating for patients and their families. For example, a patient died last December in […]