Civil SuitEMSMunicipal LiabilityNegligenceWrongful death

Chicago Settles Wrongful Death Suit for $1.75 Million

The city of Chicago has agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of an 13 year old girl who died in 2002 from an asthma attack.

Arielle Starks died when paramedics allegedly failed to properly intubate the youngster, got in an accident enroute to the ER, and then failed to recognize the mistake in the airway. The settlement is reported to be $1.75 million.

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Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 50 years of fire service experience and 40 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. Besides his law degree, he has a MS in Forensic Psychology. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

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3 Comments

  1. Cheap compared to their last one- $6 million, IIRC, because the first-responder engine’s defibrillator batteries were dead, and hadn’t been checked that morning, resulting in the death of an adult male. $1.75 mil for a dead kid is a bargain by comparison.

    (Yes, I know, I’m going to hell. Tell me something I don’t know.)

  2. I don’t remember if the $6 million was a judgement or a settlement. If the latter, and I was the kid’s parents, I’d be asking my lawyers where my 4.25 mil was.

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