Michael Alkaraki Published in ISBA
The December, 2025 version of ISBA’s Section on Tort Law’s newsletter features an article penned by Michel Alkaraki from Gill Ports Hoste LLC on the subject of full self-driving cars and the fatalities resulting from Tesla vehicles. Read the full article here.
New Office
We have moved into our new office location in suite 930 at 321 N. Clark Street in Chicago.
GPH’s Mike Alkaraki Leads Direct Examination Training at CBA Trial Academy
We would like to highlight a recent training event where Mike Alkaraki, one of our experienced attorneys at Gill Ports Hoste LLC, delivered an insightful lecture at The Chicago Bar Association Trial Academy on Direct Examinations. His expertise and dedication to professional development continues to inspire our team and the broader legal community.
The course was an intensive two-day training for law clerks, students and associates, where CBA-experienced faculty members, including Mike Alkaraki, discussed and conducted demonstrations of the components of trial.
Read more about GPH firm news here: https://www.gphlaw.com/
$17.5 Million Settlement in Illinois Kernicterus Case
In a settlement approved by both a Law Division and Probate Division judge, a Chicago area hospital and pediatrician agreed to pay $17,500,000 to settle claims brought by the parents of a 6-year-old girl delivered at the institution. The settlement was reached shortly before a scheduled two-week trial at which the parties were expected to call 16 expert witnesses. The settlement funds will be administrated under the supervision of the Probate Court. Click Here to read our blog post.
$3.6 Million Verdict Awarded in Death of Pekin Woman Leads to $4 Million Settlement
A Tazwell County jury awarded over $3,600,000 to the Estate of Linda Lane, a Pekin woman who died at OSF-Peoria Hospital in the days following a hernia repair surgery. Plaintiff claimed that Dr. Allison Tanck was negligent when she (1) injured the bowel without realizing she had injured it, (2) failed to discover the injury before finishing and closing the surgery and, (3) failed to discover the injury over the next 1-2 days before Linda ultimately succumbed to sepsis. The defendants claimed Linda’s symptoms in the hours and days after the surgery were not consistent with a full tear of the bowel, that the injury evolved to a more serious injury over time and such an injury can go unrecognized. There was no offer made to settle the case. The $3,666,242.46 verdict included $3,250,000 for the pecuniary loss by her surviving husband and daughter, $300,000 for pain and suffering suffered by Linda Lane before she died, $103,714.80 in medical bills, and $12,527.66 in funeral and burial expenses. The case settled after verdict for $4,000,000.00 which included most of the statutorily allowed pre-judgment interest. The case was tried by Matthew Ports and Michael Gill.
Michael Gill Reaches $3 Million Settlement In Medical Malpractice Case
Posted September 30, 2019
Michael Gill recently reached a $3 million settlement on behalf of a client who suffers from cauda equina syndrome due to mistakes made during her medical care at a Chicago hospital. Read more about this case.
Record DeKalb County Work Injury Verdict
Posted May 14, 2019
A DeKalb County jury entered a record verdict for almost $6,000,000 on Tuesday afternoon for a 33 year-old Winnebago man injured when the aerial lift he was working on failed causing him to fall 20-25 feet. The verdict represents the highest reported DeKalb County Work Injury award ever. It also represents DeKalb County’s third largest personal injury verdict ever. Continue to read more about this case…...
Ports Settles Wrongful Death Case in Pekin, Illinois
Posted January 10, 2018
Matthew D. Ports recently negotiated a $6 million settlement on behalf of the families of two downstate Illinois workers who died from poisonous gas in a railroad car while working at Agridyne LLC’s livestock feed facility located in Pekin.
Continue reading Ports Settles Wrongful Death Case in Pekin, Illinois.
$1.8M Settlement for Wrongful Death of Newborn
Posted June 22, 2016
Matthew D. Ports negotiated a $1.8 million settlement for the wrongful death of a newborn, survived by his loving mother and father. We claimed that the delivering physician and the nurses failed to identify the baby’s deteriorating condition as could be seen on the fetal monitoring strips. We believe that a c-section done at any time in the hours before delivery would have easily saved the child.
During the pendency of the case, our research revealed that in the years before this event, the defendant physician had been cited for “gross negligence” by the Illinois licensing board and the defendant hospital had disciplined him with supervision for past poor labor and delivery care. Therefore, we added a claim against the defendant hospital that they had negligently credentialed the defendant doctor and had no business delivery babies based on his extensive history.
The settlement was paid by the suburban OB/GYN and a Chicago-area hospital.