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$1.3 Billion in
Verdicts &
Settlements

$363M
Environmental Cancer Verdict
$34.5M
Vapor Intrusion Case
$43M
Toxic Tort Settlement
$8.5M
Wrongful Death Bus Accident Case
$250M
Resolutions of Credit Facilities
$40M
Recovered in Arbitrations
$16.9M
Groundwater Contamination Case
$10M
Environmental Class Action
$8.1M
Environmental Contamination
$7.5M
Erisa Class Action
$7.2M
Toxic Tort Personal Injury Case
$7.2M
Environmental Class Action
$5.7M
Environmental Class Action
$5.5M
Groundwater Contamination Case
$5M
Toxic Exposure Case
$4.7M
Medical Negligence Claim Case
$4M
Property Damage Case
$3M
Property Damage Case
$2.6M
Toxic Tort Case
$2.5M
Premises Liability Case
$2.35M
Business Dispute Case
$2M
Asbestos/
Mesothelioma Settlement
$2.5M
Personal Injury Case
$1.9M
Groundwater Contamination Case
$1.8M
Breach of Contract
$1.8M
Defective Product Recovery
$1.4M
Product Liability Case
$1.3M
Car Accident
$1.35M
Car Accident
$8.5M
Wrongful Death Bus Accident Case
$363M
Environmental Cancer Verdict
$43M
Toxic Tort Settlement
$34.5M
Vapor Intrusion Case

Illinois
Personal Injury Lawyer

We are relentless. Because that’s what our clients deserve from their lawyer. It’s who we are. Our clients often come to us during the most difficult times in their lives. Some company has polluted their air or water with cancer-causing chemicals. And now a family member has gotten very sick, or died. Or a careless truck driver who’d been driving too many hours that day, or was texting while driving, ran a red light. And now, our client will never be able to walk again. Or drive without being terrified. Or a nursing home failed to protect our elderly client from abuse at the hands of a staff member who was not properly supervised, or should never even have been hired in the first place.

We battle fiercely for our clients who come to us when tragedies like this happen. Our clients need a lawyer who will not stop fighting until the legal system delivers justice and accountability. That’s us. Our relentlessness is proven in the results we have achieved. We’ve won over $1.3 billion in settlement and verdicts. We’ve delivered results that have been recognized as some of the very best in the State of Illinois, and even the entire United States. And our firm and lawyers are regularly selected as among the highest-ranked and very best in personal injury and environmental law.

That’s because we’re relentless for our clients.
Record-Setting
$363 Million
Verdict
For a client who contracted breast cancer after breathing a toxic chemical emitted by a local sterilization company for over 20 years.
$408 Million
Settlement
For nearly 900 residents who contracted cancer after being exposed for years to carcinogenic ethylene oxide emissions.
RELENTLESS = RESULTS
We’re very proud of the results we’ve achieved. The companies we sue have taken something valuable from our clients that didn’t belong to them – life, health, property, safety, peace of mind. And money – in the form of compensation – is how those companies must pay for what they took. Here are just some of our results:
$95 million recovered for damage to our clients’ property values, caused by polluters recklessly disposing of industrial chemicals.
$47 million Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
$17.8 million Wrongful death cases
$15 million Negligence (premises liability, dog bites, failure to warn, etc.)
$14.5 million Medical malpractice and nursing home abuse and neglect
$13.1 million in settlements for individual toxic exposure cancer cases.
$7.25 million Defectice products cases
top recognition for our results
Our record-setting $363 million cancer case verdict was honored by Top Verdict as:
  • #1 verdict in Illinois in ALL PRACTICE AREAS
  • #1 PERSONAL INJURY verdict in Illinois
  • 2nd highest PERSONAL INJURY VERDICT in the United States
  • 10th highest jury verdict in ALL PRACTICE AREAS in the United States.
  • This record setting verdict was also the LARGEST EVER single plaintiff verdict in Illinois.
Our car and truck accidents results have also been recognized by Top Verdict as:
  • Top 20 Illinois PERSONAL INJURY settlement
  • Top 100 US MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT settlement

Awards & Memberships

Our Client Reviews

If you need a firm that is relentless in getting to the truth, this is who you should hire.
Shawn and everyone at Collins Law Firm were fantastic. I felt from day one that I couldn’t have picked a better firm. Very Skilled! They were very thorough in their investigation and through all the challenges were dedicated to seeking Justice for me. Everyone was super polite and thoughtful helping me through a tough situation. I will be forever grateful for their help! If you need a firm that is relentless in getting to the truth, this is who you should hire.

STAN C.
If you're considering a firm for your personal injury case, don't hesitate to reach out to Collins.
Ed Manzke is a lifesaver. We will forever be grateful to him for handling our case (and us!) with empathy, compassion, and grace. During the most stressful and uncertain time of our lives, Ed was supremely helpful. He went above and beyond for us, balancing our needs with the practical considerations of our situation. If you're considering a firm for your personal injury case, don't hesitate to reach out to Collins, and know that you'll be in excellent hands with Ed!

AMELIA V.
Incredibly satisfied with our experience!
We were incredibly satisfied with our experience with The Collins Law Firm. We worked closely with Ed Manzke and found that he had a personal touch and truly got to know us in addition to being knowledgeable and effective in his field. The caring and individual attitude helped us tremendously throughout the entire process and we always felt like our case was in safe hands. We would highly recommend The Collins Law Firm for both its stellar work and dedicated employees.

M.A.
Very professional
Ed Manzke at Collins Law Firm was recommended to us after a bad car accident. It was the best advice we received. Everything was handled very professionally and we were kept up to date during the process. We would definitely encourage anyone needing legal advise to consult with this law firm.


Cathy Gratton
Shawn Collins is a very talented lawyer
Shawn Collins is a very talented lawyer, as are all the attorneys on his team. I've known and worked with Shawn for more that 30 years. Not only is he a top notch technical litigator but his communication skills are second to none. If anyone I know is ever in need of an attorney, Shawn is my very first recommendation. He gives very solid advice that goes beyond the law. He is someone you can trust to tell you the truth so you are not lead astray in the complex legal world. You really can't find a better advocate.

E.M.
10 out of 10 recommended!
10 out of 10! I recommend this firm to anyone in need of legal representation! John Risvold went above and beyond and is very professional and top-notch! Morning day or night, he always found time and made time to answer my questions every step of the way. Never left me in the dark and always acted in a timely manner! Do not hesitate, if you need legal representation, John is the real deal and is honest, transparent, and straightforward every step of the way!

Brent C
Shawn is far and away the best business litigation attorney
I have worked with Rob, Shawn and The Collins Law Firm team in connection with both complex business transactions and litigation over the past several years. Shawn is far and away the best business litigation attorney I have worked with. Rob has been our lead attorney on M&A and corporate restructures, and he has delivered each time, and on time. I would highly recommend Rob to get the deal done!


W.D
We Highly Recommend!
First and foremost, Shawn Collins and Ed Manzke of The Collins Law Firm should be in everybody's favorite list on their cell phones. With Shawn orchestrating and Ed being the driving force in getting their clients heard, they together are able to prepare a case that will achieve good results. They are very compassionate and thorough, and because of this, the end result is good for their clients. They keep you informed every step if the way, so that you always know the progress of your case. We feel very fortunate to have worked with Shawn and Ed because of their professionalism. We highly recommend them.

Daniel A.
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Recognized 
for Excellence
Nationwide

Our firm was a national finalist in The National Law Journal‘s Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the Mass Torts category in 2023.

For years, we have also been ranked nationally and as a “Best Law Firm” by Best Lawyers, including these rankings in 2024:

Nationally

Recognized for Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions.

Chicago Region

Recognized for Personal Injury Litigation, Environmental Litigation, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions.
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Our Top Rated Legal Team

Our Awards Include:
Shawn Collins and Margaret Galka received the 2023 Trial Lawyer Excellence Award for obtaining the “Highest Reported Illinois Verdict or Settlement for an Individual Plaintiff” from the Jury Verdict Reporter and Law Bulletin Media.
Shawn Collins was chosen as a national Environmental MVP for 2023 by Law 360 due to his work on the Sterigenics litigation in Cook County, IL.
Edward Manzke, Shawn Collins, John Risvold, and John Sopuch have been awarded as “Best Lawyers” in the United States. Margaret Galka has been awarded “Best Lawyers: One to Watch”.
Shawn Collins, Edward Manzke, John Risvold, Margaret Galka, Norm Berger, and John Sopuch have all been honored as “Super Lawyers” in Illinois.
Robert Dawidiuk and Shawn Collins have been selected as “Leading Lawyers” for their work.
Shawn Collins has also been chosen as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association, one of the Nation’s Top Attorneys by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

Meet Our Legal Team

over 175 Years of Combined Experience
View All Legal Team

Firm News

Our legal work on important cases results in news coverage and national recognition. Recent news includes:
Shawn Collins was selected as a Law 360 Environmental MVP for 2023 for his work as co-counsel in the Kamuda v. Sterigenics et al trial that secured a $363 million verdict for the plaintiff, as well as his work as co-lead of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in In Re: Willowbrook Ethylene Oxide Litigation, that reached a $408 million settlement for 800+ plaintiffs. This honor is reserved for only 5 attorneys across the country.
Collins Law Firm attorneys Shawn Collins and Margaret Galka will be honored with the JVR Excellence Award for the Highest Reported Verdict or Settlement since 2022 at Jury Verdict Reporter's Trial Lawyer Excellence Awards in Chicago.
The firm's record-setting $363 million verdict in Kamuda v. Sterigenics et al. garnered a place as a Top 10 Jury Verdict in all Practice Areas the U.S., the Number 2 Personal Injury Verdict in the U.S. and the Number 1 Jury Verdict in Illinois for 2022 as announced by Top Verdict.
Firm was named a finalist for The National Law Journal and ALM/Law.com's 2023 Elite Trial Lawyers Awards in the mass torts category.
Over the years, our cases have been covered by CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC, USA Today, the London Daily Mail, the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald, the Naperville Sun, the Star Tribune, the Wisconsin State Journal, the Detroit News, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and more. Moreover, our attorneys are regularly consulted by the media for their legal opinion and recognized in the press for their awards.

FEATURED IN

Videos

Environmental and Personal Injury Blog

THE DANGERS OF THE TOXIC CHEMICAL EMISSIONS FROM THE KOPPERS PLANT IN CICERO, IL
July 29, 2024 | by: Shawn Collins
Who’s protecting the residents of Cicero and Stickney, IL, from thetons of toxic chemical emissionsmigrating from the massive, 36-acre Koppers coal tar plant at the corner of Lar...
READ MORE
EPA is 50 Years Too Late in Cutting Emissions of Cancer-Causing Ethylene Oxide
March 28, 2024 | by: Shawn Collins
For the last 50 years, EPA has buckled to pressure from the chemical industry, and basically done nothing to protect millions of Americans from breathing a life-threatening, cancer...
READ MORE
View All Blogs
Whether at our law firm in Naperville, Illinois, or in trial courts throughout the state and country, our attorneys can provide you with the aggressive legal representation you need.”
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Why Choose Collins Law
Environmental & Personal 
Injury Lawyers

No Fee Unless We Win

Collins Law operates on a contingency fee basis for personal injury and environmental cases, meaning clients only pay legal fees if we win your case.

175+ Years of Combined Experience

Our attorneys have years of experience representing clients with personal injury, environmental contamination, and business claims. Understanding the intricacies of these cases allows us to achieve better outcomes.

Proven Track Record

With a history of successful cases, Collins Law proves their ability to get results for their clients.

Flexible Consultations

Understanding the challenges clients may face following an injury, Collins Law offers flexible consultation options, including home and hospital visits. We will come to you.

Client-Centered Approach

At Collins Law, clients always come first. We prioritize individual needs and concerns, recognizing that each case is unique and deserves personalized attention.

Free Consultation - Available 24/7

Collins Law offers free consultations anytime, making legal advice accessible when it's needed.
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