Beating Goliath A Plaintiff’s Pursuit of Justice

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.

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 June, and about a week later, he began experiencing foot pain. Despite numerous doctor visits and complaints of increasing foot pain, Billy’s concerns were dismissed by multiple physicians. By the time a doctor finally took notice, it was too late.

In Episode 2 of this three-part series, Billy’s lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard 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.

Once the jury hears from all the witnesses for both the defense and plaintiffs, Billy’s attorneys from Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard ask the jury for $40 million dollars to compensate Billy for his physical and financial losses. Billy’s future now lies in the hands of the jury.

In Part 2 of this three-part series, Tom’s lawyers prepare him to take the stand. At trial, defense counsel tries to undermine the impact of Tom’s injury, but Tom’s lawyers counter their argument with a compelling video deposition - and their investigation reveals a case for claiming punitive damages.

In the final episode of this three-part series, the jury finds that Tom was not at fault for his injury and awards him $12.2 million in compensation. They also find that the defendant company, GES, acted with reckless indifference and impose $3 million in punitive damages on the company.

However, six months later, a judge overturns the punitive damages. With the help of appellate lawyer Bob Black, Tom’s legal team appeals the decision.

In Episode One of this two-part series, you will meet Karla Gress, a businesswoman and mother of three from the Dallas, Texas area who traveled to the Chicago-area on business in October of 2013. 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 while she wrapped up paperwork. But the night soon turns fuzzy and it is determined that she was sexually assaulted by the hotel’s on-duty security guard who mysteriously gained access to her room.

This is the story of how Karla pursued justice against the hotel that should have protected her from harm.

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 her attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard uncovered more and more information about how the Holiday Inn-Northshore Skokie had been operated, it became clear that the hotel was negligent and provided her attacker, Alhagie Singhateh, with an opportunity to prey on guests.

When her case is finally ready to go to trial in 2020, she faces even more frustration when the world suddenly shuts down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen in to hear what happens when the case finally heads to trial in 2022 and how the defense tried to attack Karla’s character in an attempt to avoid liability.

Military veteran Tom Neuhengen’s life was changed forever at just 33 years old when a 65,000-pound forklift ran over his foot while he was on the job.

In Part 1 of this three-part series, meet Tom, his lawyers who handled his case against the negligent forklift company, and a doctor who saw him through years of recovery. Learn why personal injury cases are often like the battle between David and Goliath and how Tom’s legal team took on this large company to ensure something like this never happened again.

In Season 4 of "Beating Goliath: A Plaintiff’s Pursuit of Justice," you will hear about the heart-wrenching circumstances that led to Billy’s amputation and how he overcame a horrific injury both physically and mentally. You will also hear how the attorneys of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard obtained a record-breaking verdict for Billy, sending a strong message to the medical industry and healthcare workers that no one deserves to be overlooked, and when they are, there are serious consequences.

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 through the area. The ladies sought shelter behind a pedestrian vestibule. Unfortunately, the shelters had deteriorated and were not secured to the pavement. The shelter Tierney and her family were behind dislodged from the fasteners and collapsed on top of Tierney, severing her spinal cord.

This is the story of how Tierney pursued justice against the city of Chicago, which owned and operated O’Hare Airport and was, therefore, ultimately responsible for maintaining the condition of the shelters.

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 negligence caused Tierney’s injury, her attorneys feel their settlement offers would not adequately provide Tierney with the funds needed to seek treatment for the rest of her life.

Listen in to hear how Tierney’s attorneys demonstrated her everyday struggles to the jury and if their arguments were enough to convince the jurors to award her a record-breaking verdict.

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 time before the jury would return their verdict and Tierney would hopefully, finally see justice.

After deliberating for about five hours, Tierney’s attorneys receive a call that the verdict is in. After rejecting one last settlement offer from the defense, Tierney’s attorneys find out if they made the right call in rejecting their offers.

Listen in to hear the jury’s final verdict.