Articles Posted in Verdicts & Settlements

One of the more interesting and instructive aspects of the appellate decision in White v. Advocate Condell Medical Center is the court’s treatment of a recurring defense tactic in wrongful death cases: attempting to minimize loss of consortium damages by introducing evidence that the surviving spouse has moved on romantically.

The defendants argued that the jury should have been allowed to hear evidence that Michael White entered into a romantic relationship after his wife’s death. The trial court barred that evidence. The appellate court affirmed that ruling.

The reasoning matters. It goes directly to how Illinois courts define loss of consortium and how far defendants can go in trying to dilute it.

On March 31, 2026, the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, issued its opinion in White v. Advocate Condell Medical Center, affirming a $25 million jury verdict obtained on behalf of the estate of Darci White.

The decision is significant not just for its outcome, but for what it says about the role of juries, the power of expert testimony, and the high burden defendants must meet to overturn a verdict in a medical negligence case. It is also a reminder that trial work still matters. When a case is prepared and tried the right way, it holds.

The Facts That Framed the Case