CHICAGO (October 1, 2026) – A $52 million jury verdict obtained by Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard attorneys Patrick A. Salvi II, Heidi L. Wickstrom, John A. Mennie, and Kristen M. Stoicescu has been recognized on three Top Verdict lists of the nation’s leading 2025 jury verdicts. The Winnebago County jury verdict was named the 86th Highest Verdict in the United States, the 41st Highest Personal Injury Verdict in the United States, and the 19th Highest Wrongful Death Verdict in the United States in 2025.
On May 20, 2018, 88-year-old Fred Krischon and his son, Bob, were traveling home from their family cabin in Galena when a vehicle collided with a Panera Bread tractor-trailer on U.S. Route 20 in Stockton, Illinois. The collision forced the vehicle into the Krischons’ eastbound lane, where it struck their vehicle head-on and caused it to catch fire. Fred was unable to escape the burning vehicle and died. Bob suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractures and a punctured lung, and has undergone multiple surgeries. He continues to experience chronic pain.
The Krischon family filed a civil lawsuit in Winnebago County Circuit Court in 2018, and the case proceeded to trial in September 2025. The plaintiffs alleged the Panera truck driver failed to account for the truck’s susceptibility to off-tracking and that Panera failed to properly train the driver. The plaintiffs also alleged that another driver involved in the crash was liable for driving too close to the center line.
Following trial, the jury awarded $52 million, including $15 million to the Estate of Fred Krischon and $37 million to Bob Krischon for his injuries. The jury also awarded an additional $15 million to the Estate of Ruthie Fairchild, who was a passenger in the other vehicle involved in the incident and died several days after the crash.
Please click here to learn more about the case.
Top Verdict is an online journal published by ALM that features lists of the largest jury verdicts obtained by law firms for their clients. The Top 100 Verdicts, Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts, and Top 20 Wrongful Death Verdicts lists recognize plaintiff jury verdicts obtained in cases tried before state or federal juries in the United States in 2025.
- READ MORE | Top 100 Verdicts in the United States in 2025.
- READ MORE | Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in the United States in 2025.
- READ MORE | Top 20 Wrongful Death Verdicts in the United States in 2025.
For more information, please contact Marcie Mangan at (877) 975-7991 or mmangan@salvilaw.com.
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Case No.: 18 L 000198 [ESTATE OF FREDERICK R. KRISCHON, SR. deceased, by RANDINE COURTNEY, Administrator, ROBERT KRISCHON, Individually, and JILL KRISCHON, Individually, Plaintiffs, vs. PANERA, LLC, an Illinois Corporation; PENSKE TRUCK LEASING CORPORATION, a Delaware Corporation, ELUID VELNCIA, Individually, and MARY NORMAN, Individually. Defendants.] Consolidated with Case No.: 18 L 000235 [ESTATE OF RUTHIE FAIRCHILD, deceased by MALIKA MILLER, Administrator, Plaintiff, vs. PANERA, LLC, an Illinois Corporation; PENSKE TRUCK LEASING CORPORATION, a Delaware Corporation, ELUID VELNCIA, Individually, and MARY NORMAN, Individually. Defendants]
