Karen Nathan

Karen Nathan represents hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, dentists, nurses, physical therapists, dieticians, and other healthcare professionals in medical malpractice litigation in state and federal court. She also has extensive experience representing healthcare professionals before the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Karen counsels healthcare institutions on risk management and policies to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and best practices.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Karen worked as a registered nurse, most extensively in the critical care area. She continues to maintain an active nursing license, in solidarity with her healthcare practitioner clients, and to stay current on medical best practices and technological advancements.

Admissions

• Illinois

Memberships

• Illinois Bar Association
• The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA)
• Chicago Association of Nurse Attorneys
  • Secretary 2000-2003
  • Board Member 2003-2008

Throughout her career, Ms. Nathan has aggressively defended her healthcare clients. She has obtained defense verdicts as first chair counsel in multiple medical malpractice trials. She also has obtained numerous case dismissals without payment or by way of motion at the earliest possible time after the suit has been filed.

Selected Notable Accomplishments Include:

• Obtained a voluntary dismissal of an otolaryngologist in a matter involving a woman in her early 50’s who suffered a stroke after undergoing non-cosmetic septoplasty. The case was ultimately dismissed following the depositions of numerous treating physicians who questioned causation for the plaintiff’s injuries.

• Prevailed on a motion for summary judgment on behalf of a hospital nursing supervisor in a case involving Theophylline toxicity resulting in brain damage to a young child. The motion was granted on the basis that the nursing supervisor had no independent liability as an employee of the hospital. The case was subsequently settled by other parties for $12,000,000.

• Obtained a not guilty verdict at trial in Cook County, a very plaintiff’s friendly jurisdiction, in a case brought against our client, a home care agency (and the target defendant), as well as an internist and orthopedic surgeon involving the alleged failure to properly monitor INR levels in a patient on Coumadin following hip surgery leading to a subdural hematoma and death.

Presentations

Throughout her career, Ms. Nathan has given numerous presentations to hospital risk managers, medical residents, nurses, cardiac technician students, and hospital laboratory personnel on subjects such as the importance of appropriate documentation, pointers for avoiding/minimizing legal liability and hospital liability arising out of the laboratory.

Representative speaking engagements include:

• Served as Facilitator at multiple national meetings of in-house litigation counsel on the topic of Strategically Managing Litigation: Strategies and Tactics for Countering the Plaintiff’s Reptilian Theory
• Co-Presenter at attorney training session on  deposing medical experts
• “Tips for Optimizing Trial Outcomes and Minimizing the Incidence of Adverse Verdicts,” GRSM CLE Program, Chicago, May 2023

Publications

• Quoted by ADVANCE, a nursing publication, in an article discussing liability of nursing supervisors
• Co-author of legal update for clients, “The Petrillo Doctrine: Limiting the Scope of a Defendant’s Pre-Trial Investigation”  

Education

J.D., cum laude, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1989

B.S., Nursing, Oakland University, 1983