John D. Risvold

Meet John D. Risvold

John D. Risvold

PARTNER
Naperville, IL
jrisvold@collinslaw.com

John Risvold is a nationally recognized personal injury trial lawyer and partner at The Collins Law Firm, P.C., based in the Chicago area. He represents individuals and families in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, nursing home neglect, and high-stakes trucking and motor vehicle crash litigation. His focus includes traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and complex multi-vehicle collisions. With over $37 million recovered for his clients, John is known for his relentless courtroom advocacy and results-driven approach.

A seasoned trial lawyer, John has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict in Illinois and litigated complex personal injury matters across the country. Before joining The Collins Law Firm, he defended major insurance carriers and multinational corporations in multimillion-dollar litigation. That experience gives him insider knowledge on how defendants and insurers assess, value, and fight serious injury cases—and he uses that insight to outmaneuver them in court.

Proven Results

John’s verdicts and settlements have earned national recognition:

• Top 50 Verdict in Illinois – Bigoness v. Krane
• Top 100 Verdict in Illinois – Johnson v. 53rd Woodlawn
• Top 100 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement in the U.S. – Moss v. Braun, et al.

Industry Recognition

• Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017–2025
• Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyers – National Trial Lawyers
• 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys for Client Satisfaction – AIOPIA
• Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch – Personal Injury Litigation
• R. David Ray Excellence in Trial Advocacy Award
• Order of the Barristers – Trial Advocacy Honor Society

John is an active member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), Justice HQ, and the Chicago Bar Association. Through these organizations, he fights to protect access to the courts and preserve justice for the injured.

His work has been featured in ABC7 Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Super Lawyers Magazine, Huffington Post, WBBM Radio, Naperville Sun, and other media outlets.

John earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Missouri. He lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with his wife and three children.

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

• Illinois
• Missouri
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

• Chicago Bar Association
  Director – Young Lawyers Section, Chicago Bar Association
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  Amicus Curiae Committee Member
• American Association for Justice
• DuPage County Bar Association

Honors and Awards

• CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Practice
• R. David Ray Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy
• 2017 Super Lawyers Rising Star

Fraternities / Sororities

• Delta Tau Delta

Featured Cases and Matters

• Confidential Settlement versus a Cook County Hospital
• After her caesarian section surgery, a surgical sponge was left inside of a new mother. John was able to successfully negotiate a confidential settlement with the hospital and the OB/GYN on behalf of the client.
• Policy Limits Settlement in Head on Car Crash
• When the insurance company wouldn’t be fair, we took them to court. Following several months of litigation, after taking key depositions and proving fault, the insurance company agreed to settle the case for their full policy limits for our brain injured client.