Woman With Service Dog Denied Emergency Treatment

Annmarie Zan claims she and her service dog Samson were denied treatment (CBS Chicago) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove and instead were made to wait for 12 hours before being sent to another hospital by ambulance.

Samson, a two-year-old black lab, alerts Zan 15 to 20 minutes before she has a seizure. That's the reason why she came to the hospital in the first place, although the article doesn't indicate whether or not she suffered a seizure while waiting for treatment.

Her seizures are the result of post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from childhood abuse.

A spokesman for Good Samaritan Hospital said the hospital "regrets any difficulties Annmarie Zan had." Zan has not filed suit against the hospital.

What's clear is that her ordeal ended up costing much more than she anticipated. She told reporters that the other hospital wasn't covered by her insurance, and anyone who has had to pay for an ambulance -- even those supposedly covered by health insurance -- knows it costs quite a bit more than a cab.

It's also worth pointing out that discrimination against a service dog is a Class C misdemeanor under Illinois' Guide Dog Access Act, according to the state's web site (State of Illinois).

Any Chicago injury lawyers out there willing to add up the potential damages from a potential negligence suit?