Family awarded $5.5M in nursing home neglect case tied for largest in Cook County

Richton Park nursing home found negligent in elderly man's death
It took three days to seat a jury, a week to present the case and just three hours of deliberation for a Cook County jury to find a south suburban nursing home negligent in the death of an elderly patient.
RICHTON PARK, Ill. - It took three days to seat a jury, a week to present the case and just three hours of deliberation for a Cook County jury to find a south suburban nursing home negligent in the death of an elderly patient.
What we know:
A jury awarded $5.5 million to the family of Sandy Brooks, tying the largest verdict for nursing home neglect in county history.
Brooks, 85, was admitted to Landmark of Richton Park in late 2020 following a fall that caused a brain bleed.
After a strong recovery at RML Specialty Hospital, he was transferred to Landmark — the only nearby facility offering on-site dialysis through a third-party provider, RenViva.
According to court testimony, Brooks required dialysis three times a week but did not receive a single treatment during his 13-day stay. On Dec. 7, 2020, he was found unresponsive. Though paramedics revived him, he died three days later from toxic waste buildup in his body.
What they're saying:
Brooks’ daughter, Andrea Brooks, said the family's world has been turned upside down.
"He was submitted into Landmark. My mom would call every day, at least 10 times a day. We never got a call back," she said.
"He went through multi-organ system failure. The signs and symptoms he experienced as a result of that – pain for one. Difficulty breathing. He was struggling and we didn't know this. We weren't able to help him," said Brooks' granddaughter Katherine Boston.
Attorneys with Malman Law, who represented the family, said the verdict sends a clear message to nursing homes across Illinois: neglect isn’t just unacceptable — it’s costly.
"If a loved one does have a complaint or believe that there is negligence, obviously I would recommend that they contact a lawyer but they should also contact the Illinois Department of Public Health because they're the agency that will go into the facility right away upon receiving a complaint and investigate," said Madison Cogan, an attorney with Malman Law.
What's next:
FOX 32 Chicago has reached out to Landmark of Richton Park for comment. The facility has not responded.