Results

Excess Verdicts by Attorney, Craig L. Manchik

Verdicts where the 12 person Jury Awarded Amounts of Money that Exceeded the Defendant(s) Policy Limits or Offer:

  • $2.75 Million Dollar Verdict $0 Offer- Medical Malpractice Action, Three (3) weeks on trial in Federal Court-physician failed to perform timely C-Section procedure (Hospital settled 1st day of trial $750,000 thus verdict was versus the Physician);
  • $1.2 Million Dollar Verdict, Versus Village of Skokie and Three (3) of its Police Officers
  • Five (5) week Trial-Jury determined That Village of Skokie, through the Three (3) officers sued, had acted with Willful and Wanton disregard in the Execution and Enforcement of the Laws of the State of Illinois;
  • $400,000 Verdict after $50,000 Offer-Motor Vehicle Accident where 76 year old client was struck in crosswalk (State Farm Driver) sustaining lower leg injuries that requires a skin graft procedure and leaving permanent scar on lower leg;
  • $240,000 Verdict after $7,000 Offer from both Defendants-Client was a passenger on a CTA bus (CTA offered $2,000 that was turning left on Balbo at Michigan Ave., when the articulated bus was struck by second Defendant (Allstate offered $5,000) causing non-operated hurniated disc;
  • $210,000 Verdict after $90,000 Offer-Plaintiff struck while riding his motorcycle, Jury awarded $110,000 more than the insurance policy limits of the Defendant;
  • $131,000 Verdict after $65,000 Offer-Passenger Sustained Nose Fracture, Jury awarded $31,000 more than the policy limits of the Defendant.

Exceptional Settlements:

  • 3.75 Million after 1 week on trial in Medical Malpractice action, alleged the physician/surgeon and hospital staff were negligent in the post operative period of care resulting in injuries and damages to a 25 year old young man;
  • 1.6 Million Dollar Settlement in Construction Negligence Case where middle aged man was caused to fall through a hole in the roofing as a result of OSHA and other violations on the part of the Contractor and Owner.
  • $675,000 Settlement after a week on trial in motor vehicle versus pedestrian case;
  • $600,000 Settlement in slip and fall case in a coffee shop;
  • $550,000 Settlement in Nursing Home Injury Case alleging violations of the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act;
  • $400,000 Verdict after 1 week on trial in car versus pedestrian case;
  • $190,000 Settlement in Nursing Home Injury Case alleging violations of the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act;
  • $190,000 Settlement in Nursing Home Injury Case alleging violations of the Illinois 125,000 Settlement in Nursing Home Injury Case alleging violations of the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act;
 

Top Verdicts

Verdict:   $240,000 v all defts

Judge:  James P. McCarthy (IL Cook-Law)

Pltf Atty:  Craig L. Manchik of Craig L. Manchik & Associates

Deft Attys:  Heidi A. Smith of Dale J. Sherman for Mustafa (Allstate) Offer: $5,000 withdrawn; Kirsten A. Fraus of C.T.A. Law Dept. for Chicago Transit Authority, Reed (Self-Insured) Offer: CTA $2,000 withdrawn

Pltf Medl: Dr. John B. Logan (Orthopedist)

Nov. 5, 2005, pltf was a passenger on an articulated CTA bus traveling southbound on Michigan Ave. when the bus made a left turn at Balbo and collided with a northbound car driven by deft Mustafa. Pltf F-38 sustained a herniated disc at C6-7 (unoperated) causing pre-existing cervical degenerative changes to become symptomatic, requiring ongoing treatment (9,870 past medl., $605,000 future medl. for 41.2 years).

 

Verdict: $400,000 v. all defts

Judge: Elizabeth M. Budzinski (IL Cook-Law)

Pltf Atty: Craig L. Manchik and Lynne Plum Duffey of Law Offices of Craig L. Manchik & Associates, P.C., Demand; $100,000

Deft Attys: Philip G. Heitz of Garretson, Santora (State Farm) Offer: $50,000

Pltf Medl: Dr. Frederick A. Luchette (Trauma Surgeon), Dr. Melvyn Harrington (Orthopedist) and Dr. Juan Angelats (Plastic Surgeon)

July 15, 2006, pltf was walking westbound on the north side of Washington Blvd., in Oak Park when she crossed the street at Ridgeland with a “Walk” signal, but was struck in the crosswalk by deft's van as it made a left turn from eastbound Washington onto northbound Ridgeland. Pltf F-72 sustained left leg abrasions and scrapes requiring skin grafts, a head contusion, and loss of two teeth ($49,915 medl. bills).

 

Verdict:  $1,139,801 after 35% off $1,753,540 v Village of Skokie and Officers Gramins and Glad.

Special Interrogatories: Was conduct of Officer Gramins wilful and wanton? “Yes.” Was conduct of Officer Glad willful and wanton? “Yes.”

Judge: Irwin J. Solganick (Law Division)

Pltf Attys: Craig L. Manchik of Law Offices of Craig L. Manchik & Associates, P.C.

Deft Attys: Aldo E. Botti, Jean M. Lasics and Thomas Haught of Botti, Marinaccio (Oak Brook) for Village of Skokie, Gramins and Glad (SELF-INSURED) OFFER: $300,000 (withdrawn)

Pltf Medl:  Dr. Thamrong Chira (Pathologist)

Pltf Experts: Dr. Marcelline Burns, Ph,D., Southern California Research Institute, (Psychologist); Jack Juciewicz, Chicago Police Academy (now retired) (Police Procedure); Dr. Daniel Brown, Ph.D. (Toxicologist); Dr. Eugene Saltzberg (Emergency Medicine)

Facts: On Wednesday Sept. 13, 1995, 19-year old Alexander Goldberg was pulled over at 10:16 p.m. by deft Skokie Police Officers Glad and Gramins, as Goldberg fled the scene of a rear-end accident in which he had reportedly committed at least seven traffic violations. Both officers conducted field sobriety testing on Goldberg, who had allegedly consumed almost three 40-ounce malt liquor beers. At 11:40 p.m., Goldberg was issued five traffic tickets by the defts and allowed to drive this vehicle away with 16-year-old Mikhail Ozik as a passenger. Seven minutes later, at 11:47 p.m., Goldberg struck a tree while going 75 mph, splitting his vehicle intro three parts. Mikhail Ozik, sitting seatbelted in the mangled front passenger seat, suffered a dislocated cervical spine with his head laying sideways on his neck, paralysis from the neck down, a fractured femur, and conscious pain and suffering for 5-7 minutes before lapsing into unconsciousness and dying at scene after 7-10 minutes. Estate alleged that the defts were willful and wanton in failing to execute and enforce laws regarding Zero Tolerance to Alcohol for Minors, Driving Under the Influence and Reckless Driving. Estate additionally claimed that the deft officers let Goldberg go because their shift had ended at 11:00 p.m. and it would have taken up to four more hours to arrest him and process DUI paperwork. Defense denied that the conduct of M-26 Gramins and M-31 was willful and wanton, and argued that decedent was contributorily negligent in causing his own injuries and death. Three of four retained defense experts were not called at trial, and the other was barred. Defense post-trial motions are pending on several issues.

   

Lawyers Who Win

[An MSU article featuring Craig Manchik]

Craig Manchik, ’94, managing partner in the Chicago-based firm of Manchik & Romaker, has been arguing his position since he was a child. Manchik recently won a jury verdict of more than $1.1 million on a difficult liability case against an Illinois municipality and its police officers. He agrees that you win cases by doing a thorough and complete investigation that includes lining up appropriate experts early so they can advise you in discovery.

Manchik’s firm concentrates on medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases. To him, successful litigation hinges on the ability to be a good listener. Manchik believes “you must be in a position to feel your client’s pain. You must bring forth the passion necessary to convince a jury of the wrongs that have been done to the client. If you can do that, you have a good start.”

Read the full article...

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