Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard Secure Vindication
On a summer afternoon in 2003, a sudden storm tore through the area outside the main terminal at O'Hare International Airport. Amid the wind and rain, a pedestrian shelter collapsed, pinning 24-year-old college student Tierney Darden beneath tons of steel and debris. What began as a routine pickup at one of the nation’s busiest airports became a life-altering catastrophe. Darden suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her permanently disabled, unable to speak or care for herself, and dependent on round-the-clock assistance.
Years later, her case would culminate in one of the largest personal-injury verdicts in Illinois history: approximately $148 million against the City of Chicago and related defendants.
The lawsuit, filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, alleged that the shelter’s design and maintenance were fatally flawed. Attorneys for Darden argued that city officials and contractors failed to ensure the structure was properly engineered to withstand foreseeable weather conditions. Evidence presented at trial focused on structural weaknesses and oversight failures that plaintiffs contended made the collapse not merely an accident, but the product of preventable negligence.
Leading the charge for Darden was veteran trial lawyer Patrick A. Salvi of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard. He was joined by Jeffrey J. Kroll, Tara R. Devine, and other members of the firm’s litigation team. Over the course of trial, Salvi methodically reconstructed the moments before the collapse and laid out the long-term consequences for Darden and her family. Medical experts described the permanence of her brain injury. Economists detailed the staggering lifetime cost of care. The plaintiffs’ presentation framed the case around accountability: public infrastructure, they argued, must be built and maintained with safety as the first priority.
On the defense side, the City of Chicago was represented by attorneys from Williams & Gundlach, LLC, along with counsel from Dentons US LLP, a global law firm that frequently handles high-exposure municipal litigation. Defense lawyers contended that the storm was unusually severe and that the structure met applicable standards. They challenged the scope of damages and argued that the city had acted reasonably under the circumstances.
Presiding over the trial was Judge Kathy M. Flanagan of the Cook County Circuit Court. Throughout the proceedings, Judge Flanagan ruled on a series of evidentiary disputes and motions that shaped how the jury would evaluate engineering testimony and municipal liability. The case ultimately went to the jury after weeks of technical evidence and emotional testimony from Darden’s family.
When the verdict was read, the jury awarded approximately $148 million in damages. The award reflected both the profound medical harm suffered by Darden and the projected cost of lifetime care. It was a figure that immediately drew national attention, not only because of its size but because it underscored the jury’s conclusion that the collapse was preventable.
The verdict sent a message about public accountability. Large municipal defendants often argue that budget constraints and regulatory compliance should temper liability. The jury in Darden’s case appeared unpersuaded. By returning a nine-figure award, it placed responsibility squarely on the entities charged with maintaining safe public spaces.
In the years following the verdict, the case continued to reverberate through discussions of governmental immunity and damages caps in Illinois. While post-trial proceedings and negotiations affected the ultimate payout structure, the jury’s decision itself stood as a defining moment in Cook County civil litigation.