William T. Gibbs

Top rated personal injury attorney in Chicago, Illinois

Corboy & Demetrio
William T. Gibbs
Corboy & Demetrio
312-346-3191
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Practice Areas: Personal injury, Medical malpractice; view more

Licensed in Illinois since: 2004

Education: Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2016 - 2023 Selected to Rising Stars: 2009 - 2015

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312-346-3191

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Corboy & Demetrio

33 North Dearborn Street
21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60602 Visit website

William T. Gibbs is a partner at the Chicago personal injury and medical malpractice law firm of Corboy & Demetrio.  He concentrates his practice on cases arising from railroad negligence, automobile collisions, participation in sports, unsafe pharmaceuticals or medical devices, construction negligence, medical negligence, premises liability, product liability and aviation litigation.

In his career at Corboy & Demetrio, Bill has obtained numerous record-setting and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.  His list of representative clients demonstrates the diversity of his practice.

Bill, along with Thomas Demetrio, secured a $29.6 million verdict on behalf of a woman who was brain damaged in the derailment of a speeding train in Chicago. The verdict is the largest in Illinois for an individual injured in a mass transit crash. In a Federal District Court case, he obtained a $6.6 million verdict for a family injured in an automobile collision. It was the largest verdict ever in that Court. 

In another case, Bill secured a $6.75 million settlement for the family of Justyna Palka, who was a pedestrian killed by a tour bus in Chicago.

In his sports liability practice, Bill, along with Thomas Demetrio, represented Hall-of-Fame White Sox player Frank Thomas in a medical malpractice action and the matter was "resolved amicably."  

Bill currently represents numerous retired NFL players and the Estate of former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson against the NFL in litigation stemming from concussions and CTE suffered by Duerson.  

Bill was appointed to the Plaintiff's Executive Committee by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson in Minnesota, which is overseeing individual lawsuits against the National Hockey League.  In addition to this leadership role in the multi district litigation, Bill represents the Estate of Steve Montador, an NHL player who died at the age of 35 after suffering multiple concussions and the effects of CTE.

Publications & Honors

Bill has appeared on national and international television networks discussing sports and C.T.E., including CNN, FOX Business News, Al Jazeera and Canadian National TV.  He has been quoted numerous times by national and international media, including the New York Times, ESPN and Sports Illustrated.

He is currently a regular contributor to the Sporting Judgment section of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin where he writes the column, Sports Torts.

Bill was selected for The Best Lawyers in America, 2023 Edition, in the areas of Mass Tort/Class Action - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury - Plaintiffs.  He received a 2017 Trial Excellence Award from the Law Bulletin Publishing’s Jury Verdict Reporter for having the Highest Reported Verdict or Settlement in Jackson County.

In 2022, Bill was named to the highly-selective Illinois Super Lawyers in the area of personal injury, a designation he's earned for seven consecutive years. From 2009-2014, he was designated an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Since 2015, Bill has been selected to the prestigious Illinois Leading Lawyers.

In October, 2009, Bill was named by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, which publishes the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer magazine, to its list of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch."   

In 2013, The National Trial Lawyers named Bill one of the Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers in the country, and in 2019, he was named to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers for the fifth consecutive year. In 2017, The National Trial Lawyers named Bill to NTL's Brain Injury Trial Lawyers Association Top 25.

Since 2018, he has been named to the highly-selective, national Irish Legal 100.Active in many community organizations, Bill is a member of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation Advisory Board.

In 2018, Bill was appointed to the Advisory Board of The Mike Adamle Project: Rise Above, a new initiative created to provide tools, resources and support to patients living with symptoms of CTE.

Bill was formerly a high school teacher and varsity football, basketball, and baseball coach. While at the University of Notre Dame, he was a defensive back on the varsity football team.

Read more about Corboy & Demetrio:

Practice areas

Personal injury - general: plaintiff, Personal injury - medical malpractice: plaintiff

Focus areas

Motor vehicle accidents, Personal injury - plaintiff, Slip and fall, Wrongful death, Construction accident, Brain injury, Trucking accidents, Premises liability - plaintiff, Medical malpractice, Birth injury, Delayed or incorrect diagnosis, Informed consent

  • 80% Personal injury - general: plaintiff
  • 20% Personal injury - medical malpractice: plaintiff

First Admitted: 2004, Illinois

Professional Webpage: https://www.corboydemetrio.com/attorneys-william-gibbs

Bar/Professional Activity:
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • Trial Bar for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court of Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • Illinois
  • Notre Dame Law Association
  • The Society of Trial Lawyers, 2018-present
  • Fenwick Bar Association, Treasurer, 2005-2008
  • Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Civil Practice Committee, Tort Litigation Committee
  • National Trial Lawyers Association: Brain Injury Trial Lawyers Association 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), Co-Chair of the Product Liability & Insurance Law Committee, 2019; Board of Managers, 2017-2018
  • American Association for Justice (AAJ) formerly known as American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA); Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA); Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Civil Practice Committee, Tort Litigation Committee; Notre Dame Law Association; Fenwick Bar Association, Treasurer, 2005-2008; Appointed to Plaintiff's Executive Committee in multidistrict litigation against the National Hockey League; National Trial Lawyers' Top 100 Trial Lawyers.  
Other Outstanding Achievements:
  • Appeared in New York Times story about death of Corboy & Demetrio client, former Blackhawk Steve Montador, and NHL litigation; Interviewed by numerous members of the Canadian press about plans to file lawsuit on behalf of the Estate of Steve Montador; Interviewed by numerous national and international publications about litigation involving the Estate of Derek Boogaard against the NHL; Apppeared in Chicago Tribune story and in numerous other media outlets about the filing of a lawsuit on behalf of former Chicago Blackhawk Steve Ludzik alleging head injuries caused his Parkinson's Disease.
  • Columnist, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Sports Torts, 2019
Educational Background:
  • IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, J.D., 2004, 2004
  • University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, B.A, 1997, 1997
  • University of Portland, Portland, Oregon, M.A, 1999, 1999
Verdicts/Settlements:
  • $4 million for Ryan Williamson, a 33-year-old tree service worker, who suffered a traumatic brain injury after he was struck in the head with a clevis after the tow strap it was attached to suddenly failed as Ryan was attempting to dislodge a tree stump from the ground.  , 2011
  • Bill has secured a number of record-setting and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. He obtained a $29.6 million verdict on behalf of a woman who was seriously injured when a Metra train derailed in Chicago. It is the largest verdict in Illinois for an individual injured in a mass transit crash. In a Federal District Court case, he obtained a $6.6 million verdict for a family injured in an automobile collision. It was the largest verdict ever in that Court. He secured a $1.25 million settlement for the family of a realtor who was killed by a drunk driver and a $1.5 million settlement where a health club member sustained an injury to his wrist when pushed to the ground by another member. Bill also settled a case for over a quarter of a million dollars when a young boy's face was cut while he played at an outdoor twirling tunnel at Chicago's Navy Pier. 
  • Bill secured a $6.75 million settlement for the family of Justyna Palka, who was a pedestrian killed by a tour bus in Chicago.
  • Bill secured a $29.6 million verdict on behalf of a woman who was brain damaged in the derailment of a speeding train in Chicago. The verdict is the largest in Illinois for an individual injured in a mass transit crash.
Pro bono/Community Service:
  • Chicago Police Memorial Foundation Advisory Board Member, 2019
  • In 2018, Bill was appointed to the Advisory Board of The Mike Adamle Project: Rise Above, a new initiative created to provide tools, resources and support to patients living with symptoms of CTE., 2019
  • Oz Park Baseball Association Board Member
  • Ronald McDonald House
  • Bill is co-chair of "St. Clement Dads," a group that volunteers throughout the community and provides activities for parents and their children. Through the St. Clement Legal Aid Clinic, Our Lady of Mercy Legal Clinic and Mercy Home for Boys he provides pro bono legal assistance to individuals who are unable to afford private counsel.
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
Videos:
  • Your young athlete may be experiencing symptoms of a concussion in the hours after receiving a blow to the head while participating in sports. It's important to listen carefully to the symptoms they describe so that you can get them proper medical help., Parents: How Your Child May Describe their Concussion, 2021
  • Bill Spoke at a news conference, along with his client, Tregg Duerson, the son of NFL great Dave Duerson who committed suicide and left a note saying to donate his brain in order to find out whether he suffered from CTE due to repetitive head injuries in football.  Tregg and Bill spoke about the lawsuit filed against the NFL.  The news conference was held at Corboy & Demetrio., Announcement of NFL Lawsuit filed by the Duerson children in death of Dave Duerson
Honors/Awards:
  • Bill Gibbs was named to the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in two areas: Mass Tort/Class Action – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury – Plaintiffs., The Best Lawyers in America, U.S. News - Best Lawyers, 2022
  • , Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2023
  • , Illinois Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2022
  • Bill Gibbs was selected for the 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers., Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2021
  • Illinois Super Lawyer, 2015-Present; Illinois Super Lawyer-Rising Star, 2009-2014, Illinois Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2021
  • Illinois Leading Lawyers, 2014-Present, Illinois Leading Lawyers, Leading Lawyers Network, 2021
  • Irish Legal 100, 2018-Present
  • Trial Excellence Award from the Law Bulletin Publishing’s Jury Verdict Reporter for having the Highest Reported Verdict or Settlement in Jackson County, 2017
  • The National Trial Lawyers: Brain Injury Trial Lawyers Association Top 25, 2017-present
  • CALI, Excellence for the Future Award, Philosophy, 2004; CALI, Excellence for the Future Award, Legal Writing, 2002
  • 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch, Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2009
  • Top 40 Under 40, National Trial Lawyers, 2013
  • Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers, 2014-Present

Office location for William T. Gibbs

33 North Dearborn Street
21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60602

Phone: 312-346-3191

Selections

8 Years Super Lawyers
7 Years Rising Stars
  • Super Lawyers: 2016 - 2023
  • Rising Stars: 2009 - 2015

Articles about William T. Gibbs by Super Lawyers

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