Holton v. Memorial Hospital

In this appeal we are asked to resolve whether application of the "loss of chance” doctrine in medical malpractice cases lessens the plaintiffs burden of proving proximate cause. This question has caused conflicting opinions among the Illinois appellate court panels. The loss of chance concept refers to the harm resulting to a patient when negligent medical treatment is alleged to have damaged or decreased the patient’s chance of survival or recovery, or to have subjected the patient tq an increased risk of harm.

Defendant, Memorial Hospital, requests this court to reverse the judgment entered…