Recently, Margaret Battersby Black, Third Vice President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, presented at the ITLA Damages Seminar on one of the most consequential issues in catastrophic birth injury litigation. Her seminar covered how to build, prove, and defend lifetime damages in medically complex cases.
The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association brings together trial lawyers from acro
ss the state who handle Illinois’ most serious, high-exposure cases; the kind of litigation where the medicine is complex, the damages are substantial, and preparation is
everything. These programs are built for Illinois personal injury attorneys who try cases, develop expert testimony, and stand before juries when the outcome
s are life-altering. By sharing real courtroom experience in these forums, the standard of advocacy rises, and families facing catastrophic harm are better able to obtain justice.
This most recent presentation follows Margaret’s prior ITLA engagement, Justice Achieved: Successful Outcomes, in May of 2025, where she delivered opening remarks focused on what it truly takes to secure meaningful results in complex cases. Together, these speaking roles reflect not only Margaret’s leadership within ITLA but also an ongoing commitment to strengthening trial practice for all Illinois attorneys in high-stakes cases.
Levin & Perconti’s work in this space has achieved record-breaking results for our clients who experienced unimaginable suffering due to medical malpractice and negligence including:
- $40 Million Verdict: A 19-year-old woman and her parents were awarded $40 million for birth injuries sustained due to a delayed C-section delivery at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, Illinois.
- $29 Million Settlement: For a child who suffered brain damage due to medical mistakes at a Chicago hospital.
- $27 Million Recovery: For a child who suffered preventable HIE, resulting in permanent cognitive and developmental impairments.
- $18 Million Settlement: On behalf of a young girl who developed cerebral palsy after suffering HIE due to mistakes made by her doctors and hospital staff.
These are not routine cases. They are high-stakes representations involving permanent injury and lifelong need. When Margaret addressed ITLA, she spoke from experience. Her preparation came from verdict sheets, expert depositions, and trial strategy sessions where the details determined the outcome. Damages in a catastrophic birth injury case are not merely presenting numbers. They establish what a lifetime of medical care truly requires. That is where preparation matters, because it strengthens these victims’ stories even more.
Educational forums like ITLA strengthen the plaintiff bar. They sharpen advocacy. They ensure that when families walk into a courtroom facing powerful institutions, their representation is steady, strategic, and fully prepared.
At Levin & Perconti, we provide personalized, passionate advocacy to every family we represent. Contact us online or call (312) 872-0274 today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
