Illinois family to file lawsuit in morphine overdose death

healyscanlonveugelergannon • October 29, 2015

Making the decision to place a loved one in the care of a nursing home is not always easy, but oftentimes it is the only way to ensure that an aging loved one’s daily physical and medical needs are met. As one family from Illinois has found out, however, sometimes a loved one in a nursing home passes away not from natural causes, but due to the alleged actions of another.

An Illinois family is suing a nurse and nursing home in connection to the death of a 98-year-old woman. The woman was reportedly given a fatal amount of morphine by the nurse who, according to the lawsuit, was the sole nurse on duty at the time. The incident took place back in February. Six nursing home residents were hospitalized with having morphine in their bodies. The other five residents survived.

The nurse has claimed that she did not administer morphine to the victim. However, according to a deposition, the nurse did know where the morphine was kept and that she noticed it there. The lawsuit claims the nursing home was negligent because the nurse in question had only served nine shifts with this nursing home, had an expired nursing license and was not properly trained.

It remains to be seen what the result of this lawsuit will be. The nursing home and the victim’s family are cooperating with the authorities as they perform an investigation. However, it is an unfortunate fact that in some cases, negligent hiring or supervision in nursing homes can lead to a resident’s death. Nursing home residents are especially vulnerable, due to their age and often weakened physical and mental conditions. It is important that all  nursing home staff  members have the proper training and credentials to perform their job. If they do not, and a resident dies, it may lead to a wrongful death suit.

Source:  CBS Chicago, “ Family Of Nursing Home Resident Who Died From Morphine Overdose To File Lawsuit ,” Dorothy Tucker, Oct. 6, 2015

$1,000,000.00 Verdict

April 13, 2026
Attorneys Michael P. Scanlon and Timothy J. Ganshirt secured a $1,000,000.00 Verdict for their client, Jane Doe. Jane Doe was sexually assaulted by her acupuncturist when she went to his office for treatment. Prior to trial, the Defendant did not make a settlement offer. At trial, the Defendant's attorneys argued that Plaintiff consented and recommended that the jury award a maximum of $7,000 to $8,000 to the Plaintiff, if the jury were to award anything. Instead, the jury returned a verdict for $1,000,000.00. Michael and Tim are filing a motion to add interest, fees, and costs to the verdict. If granted, thetotal judgment could reach up to $1,234,333.06.  This case highlights the importance of making sure that you choose attorneys who are willing to go to trial to ensure your case gets the full value it deserves.

$40 Million Settlement

March 25, 2026
Matthew M. Gannon and Michael P. Scanlon secured $40,000,000 for an operating engineer who suffered from third degree burns following a blast at an industrial facility.