Chicago Lawyers Represents Plaintiff in Trial That Results in $23.7 Million Jury Verdict over Fatal 2004 Trucking Accident

In what is believed to be the largest injury verdict ever in Will County, Ill., a jury last Friday awarded $23.7 million to three plaintiffs who sought compensation for two deaths and one serious injury that resulted from a 2004 vehicle accident near Plainfield, Ill.

The case, Sperl v. Henry et al. (04 L 428 consolidated), was tried in the Circuit Court of Will County over a three-week period. It was the culmination of nearly five years of litigation that was initiated after an April 1, 2004 multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 55 near Plainfield when DeAnn Henry, the driver of a tractor trailer, lost control of the truck and rear-ended multiple vehicles. The collisions caused the deaths of two individuals, Joseph Sperl (age 66) and Thomas Sanders (age 42) and serious injuries to William Taluc (age 30).

The plaintiffs pursued a lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle and her motor carrier, Toad L Dragonfly, both of whom admitted liability, but had limited coverage. Plaintiff also sued C.H. Robinson, the freight broker who dispatched the driver. C.H. Robinson, one of the world's largest freight brokers, contested liability for the accident, claiming Henry was an independent contractor.

Sperl's estate, which was represented in the litigation by Martin Healy, Jr. and Jack Cannon of The Healy Law Firm, was awarded $7 mi 00004000 llion by the jury for the benefit of the spouse and two adult children. The estate also awarded $250,000 for approximately five seconds for pain and suffering before he died. Sanders' estate and Taluc received separate awards and were represented by separate plaintiff counsel.

"This historic verdict marks the conclusion of a very sad incident that has forever changed the lives of the Sperl family," said Healy, a highly regarded trucking and product liability attorney in Chicago. "We are gratified that our client has received some restitution for the events of April 1, 2004, but nothing will be able to compensate the family for the tragic loss of life that occurred on that day."

For more information about The Healy Law Firm, please go to www.healylawfirm.com or www.illinoistruckingaccidents.com or call 877.767.4591.



Author Information

Jill Fowler
The Healy Law Firm