Overview
April A. Vesely is a partner at Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in product liability, premises liability, and toxic tort litigation. Throughout her career, she has successfully represented major vehicle, machinery, and chemical manufacturers and distributors in catastrophic injury claims. She has served as local counsel and national coordinating counsel for various clients including manufacturers, distributors and designers. April plays a key role in developing and implementing defense strategies, focusing on the early evaluation and resolution of claims to manage costs effectively.
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- “Informed Consent,” ITLA Medical Malpractice Trial Notebook, 2005-2006
- “Bowling Proprietors Association of America,” Midwest Conference, 2007
- Successfully defeated a product liability suit against a machine manufacturer for defective design. Summary judgment affirmed on appeal.
- Successfully defended a heavy equipment manufacturer from a multi-million-dollar suit and obtained dismissal without payment on the eve of trial.
- Successfully defended a general contractor in a wrongful death claim involving several subcontractors and safety violations by securing settlement well below the multi-million-dollar demand and obtained summary judgment for the related property damage claim.
- Successfully defended a local business in a wrongful death case involving the death of a mother and child in vehicle collision involving the client’s employee and work truck, obtaining dismissal without payment.
- Successfully defended an industry trade group against personal injury and wrongful death claims based on an apparent manufacturer theory.
- Currently defending several product manufacturers in multi-million-dollar toxic tort litigation.
