During a wellness check in February 2023, a Cook County sheriff’s deputy discovered 92-year-old Anna Vargas lying face down on the floor near the body of her son, who had diabetes and died of natural causes.

Vargas, still breathing, was rushed to nearby Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in suburban Park Ridge. A physician diagnosed Vargas with severe cognitive impairment due to dementia and concluded she was incapable of making her own decisions.

With no other family to help the nonagenarian navigate what would come next, the hospital filed a petition asking a judge to appoint a guardian to handle her affairs.

It was the start of a very expensive 18 months for Vargas.

The law firm the hospital hired to handle her case and the private care management organization the hospital nominated

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