James Wylder and Lisa Corwin of the Bloomington law firm Wylder Corwin Kelly, LLP were the lawyers representing Vicki Hoogerwerf, widow of John Hoogerwerf, in a trial in which a McLean County jury returned a verdict in the amount of $4,320,000.00 against defendant Honeywell International, Inc.
The jury assessed damages in the amount of $300,000.00 to Vicki Hoogerwerf, individually, for her damages during her husband’s lifetime. The jury assessed damages in the amount of $4,020,000.00 to the estate of John Hoogerwerf, for his injuries and wrongful death.
John Hoogerwerf, contracted and died of lung cancer at age fifty-three after being exposed to asbestos while working as an insulator at jobsites in Central Illinois, including Illinois State University. John Hoogerwerf was not warned of the dangers of asbestos.
At the beginning of the trial, Honeywell was defaulted due to its violation of the rules of the Illinois Supreme Court. The trial proceeded on only the issue of damages.
The trial was held in McLean County in front of Judge Paul Lawrence. The jury deliberated for three hours.
