Court rules disabled girl's family can sue City of Chicago for neglect.

 Posted on May 22, 2012 in Personal Injury

A federal appellate court ruled that the family of a girl attacked after being released from police custody could sue the police for negligence.  The city had moved to dismiss the charges against the officers involved, but the judge ruled that the case can proceed as soon as this October.

In the ruling, the judge wrote that the police were aware that Christina Eilman  suffered from a bipolar disorder when they released the girl without care after arresting her at Midway airport following a disruption that she caused.  Police department policy requires that officers dealing with a mentally ill individual take the individual to a hospital for an evaluation.  But in Eilman’s case, officers decided to release her from their custody without arranging a medical evaluation.

Instead, Eilman was released to high crime neighborhoods surrounding Midway, where she was attacked and sexually assaulted.

In addition to questioning the police's responsibility to provide medical care for Eilman, the judge questioned if Eilman's constitutional rights were also violated when the police took the woman from the relative safety of Midway to a high crime location approximately seven miles away from the airport.  As Eilman was a California native and had no knowledge of the neighborhood, she had no way of knowing that she was in danger.

Eilman was lured into a high rise where she was attacked and assaulted before being thrown from a seventh-floor window.  The resulting fall shattered her pelvis and caused a brain injury.  As a result of her injuries, Eilman now lives with her parents and requires round the clock care.

If you or someone you love has been severely injured, contact Khaled Issa, a  devoted personal injury attorney serving clients in the Chicago area. A dedicated personal injury attorney can help you and your loved ones obtain the compensation that you deserve.