Sole proximate cause shouldn’t be topic of jury confusion

Lawyers' Forum

By Dodie O’Keefe

Dodie O’Keefe is a Law Clerk for the Honorable Justice Terrence Lavin, First District. Please contact Dodie at okeefedodie@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

Posted August 7, 2019 4:00 PM

Updated August 8, 2019 8:44 AM

Recently, the 1st District Appellate Court found a jury received an improper sole proximate cause special interrogatory, leading that court to reverse the judgment previously entered in the defendant hospital’s favor.In Doe v. Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, 2019 IL App (1st) 180955, the plaintiff brought an action for emotional damages after Michelle Morrison, a former hospital employee, sent the plaintiff harassing letters that contained information obtained from her mental health records.The hospital, …

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