Daniels v. John Crane, Inc.

Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Settlements
Citation
Case Number: 
2019 IL App (1st) 190170
Decision Date: 
Thursday, December 19, 2019
District: 
1st Dist.
Division/County: 
Cook Co., 4th Div.
Holding: 
Affirmed.
Justice: 
REYES

(Court opinion corrected 2/6/20.) Plaintiff filed action against Defendant Crane and other manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, claiming decedent’s (a union pipefitter) exposure to those products caused him to develop pleural mesothelioma. All defendants settled except Defendant Crane. After trial, jury awarded $6.02 million, and directed a $1.13 million setoff consisting of the settlements. Court did not abuse its discretion when it declined to adopted Crane’s verdict form that included a settled Defendant. Court must examine the settlement agreement under the totality of the circumstances. Court was not required to create a record of the settlement terms. Court‘s good faith findings were not clearly against logic or contrary to recognized principles of law. (GORDON and LAMPKIN, concurring.)