James Wylder and Lisa Corwin of the Bloomington law firm Wylder Corwin Kelly LLP were the lawyers representing Roger Holmes and John Holmes, the sons of Jean Holmes, who died at the age of 93 on April 2, 2006, from the asbestos disease mesothelioma. After a three week trial, a McLean County jury returned a verdict for the family in the amount of $2,632,611.66.
Jean Holmes was exposed to asbestos when she laundered the clothing of her husband, Don Holmes, who worked at Union Asbestos & Rubber Company, later called UNARCO Industries, Inc., in Bloomington during 1962 and 1963. Holmes was never warned of the dangers of asbestos.
The jury found Defendants, Pneumo Abex, LLC, and Honeywell International, Inc. (through their corporate predecessors Abex and Bendix) conspired with other companies, including UNARCO, Johns-Manville, Raybestos-Manhattan, Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, to suppress information about the hazards of asbestos, including an agreement not to warn their employees and customers about the hazards of asbestos.
The three week trial was held in McLean County in front of Judge Scott Drazewski. The jury deliberated for about 2 ½ hours.
