Four Clifford Law Offices’ partners received the 2025 Law Bulletin Media Jury Verdict Reporter Award on October 29, 2025, for the Highest Reported Illinois Verdict or Settlement for a Birth Injury Case.
Keith A. Hebeisen, Bradley M. Cosgrove, Sarah F. King, and Charles R. Haskins were awarded this honor, with hundreds of attorneys and judges in attendance, recognizing their verdict in the case of Gerald Sallis, Jr. The month-long trial resulted in a record $101 million verdict for the infant Gerald, who was brain-damaged at birth due to negligence at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. The verdict will allow him the lifelong care he requires, given his severe injuries. Gerald is expected to live a normal lifespan.
The case was tried at the Cook County Circuit Court. Gerald Sallis was brain-damaged at birth when his external fetal monitoring strips were ignored for six hours. Experts on behalf of the plaintiff testified that he would have been born a normal baby if hospital nurses and other medical personnel had alerted doctors to the abnormalities and performed an emergency C-section.
The Jury Verdict Reporter, a division of Chicago-based Law Bulletin Media, hosted its 14th annual reception and awards for Trial Lawyer Excellence at RPM Events. Thirty-five professionals from both sides of the trial bar received individual Trial Lawyer Excellence awards in one of 15 categories recognizing case and career achievements of Illinois lawyers.
Clifford Law Offices is proud of the work of this excellent trial team on this case and of their daily commitment to their clients.
To learn more about the record verdict, visit: Clifford Law Offices Obtains Record $101M Verdict
Charles R. Haskins, Sarah F. King, Keith A. Hebeisen, and Bradley M. Cosgrove (left to right) were awarded the 2025 Law Bulletin Media Jury Verdict Reporter Award for the Highest Reported Illinois Verdict or Settlement for a Birth Injury Case.