Beating Goliath

In Episode 2 of this three-part series, Billy Fern’s lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C. start to build their case against Central DuPage Emergency Physicians, et al. However, unexpected roadblocks and COVID-19 delay the trial. Billy and his team of lawyers work through the obstacles over the course of 8 grueling years and finally see trial in September of 2023. The jury hears Billy’s story and how his dreams ...

In Part 1 of this 3-part series, you will meet Billy Fern, a young man who had to undergo a foot amputation due to medical negligence.

Back in 2014, Billy was an active and adventurous 25-year-old college graduate who was pursuing his personal and professional goals. That year, he was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and placed on a blood thinner regimen. As part of his treatment plan, he stopped taking the blood thinners ...

In 2014, Billy Fern was filled with optimism about his future. The 25-year-old recently graduated from Elmhurst University, was working for a local government, and loved being active outdoors. But Billy’s life took a devastating turn when his foot was amputated due to medical negligence. Despite seeking help for weeks, his doctors failed him. When someone finally took notice, it was too late.

In Season 4 of “Beating Goliath...

In the third and final episode of Season 3 of Beating Goliath, Tierney’s case is in the hands of the jury. 

During closing arguments, Tierney’s attorneys suggested a verdict of around $175 million, while the defense attorneys for the city of Chicago suggested just about $30 million, a number not much different than their original settlement offer. It was clear both sides believed in their case – but it was only a matter of ...

In the second episode of this three-part series, Tierney’s lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard prepare for trial and build their case against the city of Chicago. As settlement negotiations continue, it becomes clear that Tierney’s legal team and the lawyers for the city of Chicago were not seeing eye to eye in terms of how much Tierney should be compensated for her injury. While the city does eventually admit their...

In Episode 1 of this three-part series, you will meet Tierney Darden, a young woman who suffered a life-changing injury at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in 2015. 

Tierney, her mom, and one of her sisters had just flown home from Minnesota, where they were shopping for bridesmaids’ dresses for an upcoming family wedding. As they were waiting outside the airport to be picked up by Tierney’s dad, a strong storm blew t...

Back in 2015, dance was Tierney Darden’s life. The 24-year-old college student enjoyed living downtown, taking classes, and performing with her dance troupe. 

But all that changed when she was paralyzed by a 700 pound pedestrian shelter that collapsed on top of her at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. Her course of treatment was unfathomable. But as you will hear in our new episodes, Tierney overcame her unimaginable...

In the final episode of this two-part series, Karla’s attorneys fight an uphill battle in keeping her case alive as Karla is dealing with the emotional trauma in the aftermath of her attack.

As we learned in Episode 1, the lack of physical evidence police had to work with resulted in her assailant not being criminally charged for the attack. But Karla was persistent in her pursuit of justice and found a team of civil attorn...

In Episode One of this two-part series, you will meet Karla Gress, a businesswoman and mother of three from the Dallas, Texas area.

 

Karla traveled to the Chicago-area on business in October of 2013 and booked a room at the Holiday Inn Northshore in the suburb of Skokie, Illinois. One evening after a typical day at work, Karla returned to her hotel and stopped at the restaurant on site to grab a drink and a bite to eat whil...

While receiving intense physical therapy to treat the injuries caused by the forklift accident, Tom Neuhengen prepares to tell his story at trial.

In the second episode of this three-part series, Tom’s attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard reject the defense’s request to drop the punitive damages claim in favor of an admitted liability case. They have discovered that GES has a history of using forklift drivers who ar...

Tom Neuhengen sustains a massive injury on the job when a 65,000-pound forklift runs over his foot at a trade show in Chicago. An IT rep for the National Guard and a U.S. military veteran living in Cudahy, Wisconsin, Tom’s life would be changed forever by the careless accident.

In the first of this three-part series, Tom is in the hospital for his first surgery following the accident. That’s when his mom contacted an attorn...

Two days after closing arguments, the verdict finally comes in. 

After a long trial, the jury finds Tom was not at fault for his injury and awards him just over $12.2 million in compensation. They also find GES acted with a reckless disregard for safety.

Given the verdict, and that GES had been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) three times in the previous eight years for using uncertified fork...

You know the story of David and Goliath — the unassuming underdog pitted against a much stronger opponent. In reality, it’s a tale that happens every day in personal injury law. Just ask the lawyers of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. Hosted by Marcie Mangan and Patrick Salvi Jr., “Beating Goliath: A Plaintiff's Pursuit of Justice” is a new podcast that recounts the incredible real-life battles fought in the courtro...