Cischke, Yukich Secure Dismissal with Prejudice in Breach of Privacy Dispute

Johnson & Bell Shareholder, Stacey A. Cischke, and Attorney, Daniel M. Yukich, obtained a dismissal with prejudice for a hospital in a breach of privacy case. The matter involved statements made by a patient to a social worker in the hospital’s Emergency Department. The social worker, who was an alleged apparent agent, felt that her duties as a mandated reporter were triggered by the patient’s statements and contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' (DCFS) hotline and the Chicago Police. Among other things, the patient alleged that he faced criminal prosecution because of the disclosure by the social worker.  After three years, two different judges, and full discovery, the court ruled that the hospital and staff were immune to a lawsuit pursuant to the statutes and dismissed the case.