On April 27, an Illinois federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed against Taft client Southern Illinois Asphalt Company Inc. (SIAC) following a fatal car crash on an Illinois tollway. The plaintiffs in the suit had earlier obtained an $8.1 million dollar damages award prior to Taft’s involvement, which the Seventh Circuit reversed on appeal and remanded to the district court to give the plaintiffs an opportunity to replead. The district court found plaintiffs could not state such a claim, dismissed the suit, and awarded certain costs to the defense.

To read more about the district court’s dismissal, click here for the Law360 article.

Taft attorneys Timothy Eaton, Jonathan Amarilio, Elizabeth Babbitt, and Adam Decker obtained this latest result for SIAC. 

Last April, Eaton, Amarilio, and Babbitt successfully argued for the reversal of an $8.1 million verdict entered against SIAC. The case concerned a negligent misrepresentation claim filed against SIAC years after an underlying case against SIAC arising from a fatal car crash in southern Illinois settled.

Timothy Eaton and Jonathan Amarilio are partners and co-leaders of Taft’s appellate practice. Eaton has a distinguished career in commercial and appellate litigation and has been involved in a number of high-profile cases. Amarilio has extensive experience appearing before state and federal appellate courts, primarily the Illinois Appellate Court, the Illinois Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Partner Elizabeth Babbitt is an accomplished trial lawyer, business litigator, and counselor.  She has significant experience leading large and small corporations, public utilities, and municipalities through complex litigation and disputes. Adam Decker is an associate in Taft’s Litigation practice group. He advises businesses on litigation matters relating to contracts, business disputes, and claims.

The case is Liliya Turubchuk et al. v. Southern Illinois Asphalt Co. Inc. et al., case number 3:12-cv- 00594, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.