Chicago, Illinois — A Cook County jury handed the Adams family what looked like justice: a $12.2 million verdict against a North Side nursing home that let their 79-year-old mother develop infected pressure wounds that eventually killed her. It was the largest nursing home verdict in Illinois history.
That was six months ago. The family still hasn’t received a single dollar.
The reason comes down to a gap in Illinois law that attorneys say leaves nursing home residents — and their families — with no real recourse when a facility causes serious harm. Licensed nursing homes in Illinois are not required to carry liability insurance. And without it, a jury verdict, no matter how large, can be worth nothing.
“This is another example of nursing home operators and owners putting profits over people,” said Steve Levin, one of the attorneys who represented the Adams family. “The Adams family received justice and accountability. But it will not bring their mother back.”
What Happened to Shirley Adams
Shirley Adams entered Lakeview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Chicago in June 2021. Though she had early-stage dementia, her family said she was in good physical health when she arrived. Within months, that changed.
Her family noticed her declining rapidly during visits. She became effectively bedridden, and pressure wounds developed within three months of admission. By November 2021, they moved her to a different facility, where she received better care — but never fully recovered. She underwent more than 20 surgical procedures and daily wound treatments before dying in February 2023.
Following a three-day trial, a jury deliberated for about 90 minutes before ruling against Lakeview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, LLC, and its management company, Infinity Healthcare Management of Illinois, LLC. The $12.2 million award was described by the law firm Levin & Perconti as the largest nursing home verdict in state history.
The Loophole Nobody Talks About
Attorneys say the Adams case is far from unique. Nursing homes in Illinois can operate without any liability insurance, and many do. When a facility causes harm and a jury holds it accountable, families often discover there’s nothing to collect — no insurance policy, no assets, no way to enforce the judgment.
It’s a structural problem that nursing home accountability advocates have been raising for years, even as courts continue to hand down significant verdicts. The verdicts make headlines. The families go home empty-handed.
Critics argue that without mandatory insurance requirements, the financial deterrent that’s supposed to discourage neglect simply doesn’t exist. A facility can cut corners on staffing, allow residents to develop preventable wounds, and face a multimillion-dollar verdict — and still walk away without paying.
A Pattern Worth Watching
Illinois isn’t alone. Most states don’t require nursing homes to carry liability insurance, and the federal government has no such mandate either. The result is a system where residents and families bear the risk of harm while operators can structure their finances to minimize exposure.
For the Adams family, the verdict was supposed to be the end of a long fight. Instead, it’s become the beginning of another one — trying to collect from a facility that, according to their attorneys, simply doesn’t have the money to pay.
Their attorneys say they’re continuing to pursue collection. But the case has already become a rallying point for advocates pushing Illinois lawmakers to close the insurance gap before more families find themselves in the same position.
