Wrongful death

FIRST AMERICAN BANK as Special Administrator of the Estate of RAMIRO ALANIZ, Deceased, and MARIO ALANIZ, individually, vs MARGARET A. BURKE

Federal Court No.:  02 C 4415

AMOUNT OF SETTLEMENT: $1,010,000.00 (Wrongful Death Only)

On May 8, 2002, Ramiro Alaniz (age 22) was a passenger in an automobile heading east on US Route 71 through its intersection with Orchard Road in the City of Oswego, Kendall County, Illinois. At that time, the Defendant, Margaret Burke, an employee of the Illinois Department of Corrections, was stopped in the left hand turn lane of west bound Route 71 waiting to make a left hand turn. As the Plaintiff entered the intersection, Margaret Burke negligently made a left hand turn directly into the path of the Plaintiff and caused a violent collision. The Plaintiff's decedent, Ramiro Alaniz, was diagnosed with massive head trauma, multiple frontal skull fractures, massive cerebral edema, respiratory arrest, anoxia, hypoxia and anoxic encephalopathy. Ramiro Alaniz was transported to Lutheran General Hospital where he died on May 9, 2002 from the massive injuries sustained in this accident. Ramiro Alaniz was not married and was survived by his two year old daughter. Case settled two months prior to trial.