Illinois Settles for $10 Million After Patient Suicide at State Facility
A state mental health facility is supposed to be a safe place. When it fails to provide a safe environment for people in such a critical situation, the state can be responsible for the losses that occur. That is what happened in a recent lawsuit against the state after a mental health patient lost their life due to negligence. In situations like these, a Chicago injury attorney can help families understand their rights and determine whether negligence played a role.
Overview of the Illinois $10 Million Settlement
The family of the victim, 19-year-old Anthony Stringfellow, sought legal action against the state after their son died as a result of suicide. The State of Illinois agreed to a $10 million settlement in favor of the victim. The family worked with Taxman, Pollock, and Bekkerman’s personal injury lawyer, Colleen Mixan Mikaitis, to get answers and hold the state accountable for negligence.
Background of the Patient Suicide at a State Mental Health Facility
In this case, Madden Mental Health Center in Maywood, Illinois, a state psychiatric hospital, failed to provide support to the patient. The facility’s care plan for the teen required that staff perform physical, in-person checks once every 15 minutes. They failed to do that, and, when they did, they found the patient had tied a string around his neck and hung himself from the door hinges in his room.
Alleged Safety Features and Lapses in Patient Care
The state’s failure to act makes this case especially frustrating. As far back as 2019, Illinois had identified and noted the necessary adjustments to the facility, including changes to the room’s hinges, that were required to prevent this type of risk. The Chicago personal injury legal team uncovered evidence amounting to pages of documents that showed the state and facility knew it needed to replace the hinges to ligature-free systems. Had they done that, the victim would not have been able to hang themselves, according to representatives.
How State-Run Mental Health Facilities Can Be Held Liable
In a facility like this, there is a clear expectation of threat to life. Any patient within the treatment center could be at risk for psychosis, suicide, or violent behaviors. It is unclear what this patient was receiving care for, but his care plan made it obvious there was a risk. The state-run mental health facility could be held accountable for his actions because they:
- Owed the patient a duty of care
- Failed in that duty of care by not providing a safe facility
- Failed in that duty of care by not providing routine, expected checks on the individual
- That allowed for enough time for the individual to engage in the act
- That act resulted in the teen’s death
With evidence documenting numerous failures by the facility in its responsibility to protect the individual, the family was able to seek legal action.
What a $10 Million Settlement Signals About Accountability
This $10 million settlement is not what the family wants. They want their child back. This settlement makes it clear that state-run facilities may not be doing all they can to protect the well-being of the vulnerable individuals they treat.
Legal Options for Families After a Death in a Care Facility
If your loved one lost their life while in the care of a state-run facility or any type of treatment facility, speak to a Chicago wrongful death attorney.
Contact Taxman, Pollock & Bekkerman at (312) 586-1700 to schedule a confidential consultation. You can discuss your case openly with our team of personal injury lawyers, let them investigate, and find out if the facility did what they promised to do or if they failed to keep your loved one safe.