Transportation

Back to Practice Areas

Williams Montgomery & John offers a team of trial lawyers dedicated to the representation of transportation industry clients in product liability, general liability and other high-stakes legal matters.

The members of our transportation team have decades of experience investigating and defending claims involving trucks, trains, buses, vans, automobiles, airplanes and other modes of transportation. Our clients range from small, independent operators to Fortune 500 companies. We have been retained directly by transportation companies, as well as by insurance carriers in this niche market.

Our attorneys have defended wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits brought in courts across the country against trucking and freight transportion companies such as Dallas & Mavis Specialized Carrier Co. and Penske Truck Leasing Corporation. We currently serve as regional counsel for YRC Worldwide, Inc., one of the largest trucking companies in the United States. We also have served as national trial counsel for TruGreen Lawncare and The Terminix International Company in a variety of litigation matters, including claims arising from vehicular traffic accidents. In addition, we have handled personal injury and property damage claims arising out of improper loading, improperly secured or shifted cargo, operator error, and engine and other equipment failure issues.

The firm has particular experience with product liability lawsuits alleging manufacturing and design defects of tires, airbags, seatbelts and other automobile components. Our attorneys have represented Ford Motor Company in dozens of Ford Explorer cases involving tread separations of Firestone tires in federal and state courts in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida. We also have represented Goodyear Tire & Rubber in product liability tread separation matters, including a $21 million lawsuit that resulted in a verdict for Goodyear and was cited by The National Law Journal as one of the "Outstanding Defense Verdicts" in the United States.

In the aviation area, our attorneys have litigated matters involving catastrophic commercial airline, general aviation and helicopter accidents; alleged engine and component failure; asbestos exposure claims; airline overbooking claims; and contract disputes with suppliers. We currently represent Lycoming Engines and Textron in a class action product liability lawsuit seeking more than $60 million in damages for alleged defects in 5,000 reciprocating aircraft engines.

Williams Montgomery & John's transportation attorneys are members of the Primerus Defense Institute Transportation Group, a nationwide network of attorneys and accident reconstruction experts designed to provide immediate access to accident scenes for the purpose of supervising and coordinating investigations. Within a matter of hours, we can be on the scene of an accident to assist in preserving relevant evidence and assessing the vehicles involved, enabling our attorneys to provide effective counsel on the multiple legal issues that can arise. We are well-versed in CSA 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act, Carmack Amendment issues, and all other aspects of state and federal transportation law.

The firm's transportation practice is led by partner Hanson Williams, a member of the Trucking Industry Defense Association and Truckload Carriers Association who has litigated multiple cases for commercial transportation companies.

For more information about the firm's transportation practice, please contact Mr. Williams at 312.855.4856 or hlw@willmont.com.

 

Representative Matters

  • Brown v. Titanium Metals Corporation of America (Timet)
    Illinois state courts, federal district courts sitting in Illinois, and various other courts throughout the country
    Successfully resolved product liability mass tort action against Timet involving titanium ingot manufactured by defendant. Plaintiffs alleged defective ingot resulted in metal fatigue of an engine part, causing the United Airlines crash in Sioux City, Iowa.
  • Cairns v. Ty Walk Liquid Sales, Inc. and Elam v. Ty Walk Liquid Sales, Inc.
    Circuit Court of Will County, Ill.
    Won defense verdict for trucking company and tractor-trailer driver in lawsuit arising from truck-automobile accident. Plaintiffs sought $10.5 million in damages for deaths of automobile driver and passenger.
  • Debra Dowe, et al. v. National Passenger Railroad Corp., et al.
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    Obtained dismissal of product liability lawsuit against General Signal Corporation involving railroad crossing signal device manufactured by defendant. Plaintiffs alleged defective device resulted in train-truck collision that caused multiple deaths and personal injuries.
  • Estate of Mary Wade, Deceased, and J.W. Wade v. Kevin Coleman
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Represented defendant Kevin Coleman in lawsuit arising from vehicular traffic accident resulting in death of Mary Wade, a passenger in the vehicle. The other plaintiff, J.W. Wade was the driver of the vehicle and alleged serious personal injuries. Jury rendered defense verdict on J.W. Wade's claim, and awarded damages to the Estate of Mary Wade.
  • Estate of Phillipart v. Archer Daniels Midland
    Circuit Court of Sangamon County, Ill.
    Won reversal of $550,000 verdict against Archer Daniels Midland in lawsuit arising from vehicular traffic accident that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old foreign exchange student. Verdict for plaintiff reversed by Illinois Supreme Court with judgment entered for defendant without remand.
  • Estates of John and Donna Kathleen Swan, deceased, et al. v. Lycoming Engines, a Division of Avco Corporation
    U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
    Favorably settled lawsuit against Lycoming Engines arising from single-engine plane crash in Wabash, Ind., involving four deaths. Plaintiffs alleged that vibration characteristics of Lycoming six-cylinder engine caused in-flight fire.
  • Fears v. Yellow Freight
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Won jury verdict for Yellow Freight in lawsuit arising from truck-automobile accident. Plaintiff sustained serious personal injuries and sought $45 million in damages.
  • Holmes v. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    Achieved defense verdict for Goodyear in lawsuit arising from the unloading of Goodyear tires from a tractor trailer. Plaintiff alleged serious personal injuries and sought $1.5 million in damages. Decision reported inNational Jury Verdict Review & Analysis Reporter, Vol. 13:3, pp. 36-37, March 1998.
  • Johnson v. Avco/Textron/Lycoming et al.
    U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
    Favorably resolved product liability lawsuit against Avco, Textron and Lycoming involving an airplane engine. Plaintiff alleged defective design resulted in a catastrophic crash that caused five deaths.
  • Kantor v. Ford Motor Company
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
    Obtained dismissal of product liability lawsuit against Ford Motor Company involving airbag in vehicle manufactured by defendant. Plaintiff alleged airbag deployment during side impact crash caused serious personal injuries.
  • Kedziora v. France

    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Obtained verdict for defendant truck driver in lawsuit arising from commercial vehicle accident. Plaintiff alleged serious personal injuries and sought $1.8 million in damages.

  • Largosa v. Ford Motor Company
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Won dismissal of product liability lawsuit against Ford Motor Company involving seat belts and seat backs in vehicle manufactured by defendant. Plaintiff alleged manufacturing and design defects resulted in serious personal injuries during vehicular accident.
  • Marilyn Bryan v. Terminix
    District Court of Sedgwick County, Kan.
    Achieved favorable verdict in lawsuit against Terminix arising from motor vehicle accident. Plaintiff, who alleged serious personal injuries, was awarded nuisance value damages by jury.
  • Meckley v. TruGreen ChemLawn
    Circuit Court of Duvall County, Fla.
    Favorably resolved lawsuit against TruGreen ChemLawn arising from vehicular traffic accident. Jury awarded plaintiff $5,000, finding that plaintiff’s injuries were not permanent.
  • Peterson v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Achieved verdict in product liability lawsuit against Goodyear seeking $21 million in damages. Plaintiff alleged tread separation of Goodyear tires resulted in vehicle rollover accident causing serious personal injuries. Case cited by The National Law Journal as one of the “Outstanding Defense Verdicts” in the United States. Decision reported in BNA’s Product Safety and Liability Reporter, Vol. 23:23, pp. 614-615, June 16, 1995.
  • Rachel Barton v. Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Authority (METRA) and Union Pacific Railroad Co.
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Represented defendants Metra and Union Pacific in lawsuit brought by celebrity violinist Rachel Barton. Plaintiff sustained serious personal injuries when she was caught in door and dragged by commuter train. Case decided for plaintiff.
  • Sanchez v. Dedicated Transport, Inc.
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Successfully resolved lawsuit against trucking company arising from truck-automobile accident. Plaintiff sought damages for emotional distress suffered by eight-year-old passenger. Jury award to plaintiff reduced to zero damages.
  • Smith v. Titan Steel Wheels Ltd. (UK), et al.

    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Obtained reasonable settlement in product liability lawsuit against Titan Steel Wheels involving five-piece rim assemblies manufactured by defendant. Plaintiff alleged defective assembly resulted in vehicular accident that caused serious personal injuries.

  • Tazoe v. IAE International Aero Engines, et al.
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
    Achieved dismissal of more than 70 individual wrongful death lawsuits against IAE International Aero Engines arising from the 2007 crash of a Tam Linhas Aeras flight in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Plaintiffs claimed failure of defendant’s V2500 engines caused the crash and sought more than $200 million in damages. Dismissal upheld on appeal by Eleventh Circuit.
  • Thomas Guarnieri v. Scenic Trails Bus Transportation Company
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Achieved favorable verdict for Scenic Trails in lawsuit arising from bus accident. Plaintiff, a commodity broker, sought damages for serious personal injuries and loss of income. Jury awarded plaintiff $42,500, which was reduced by 75 percent for plaintiff’s contributory fault. Decision affirmed on appeal.
  • Vasilion v. Hapag-Lloyd, Three I Truck Lines
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Obtained reasonable settlement in product liability lawsuit against Three I Truck Lines involving a shipping container. Plaintiff alleged defects resulted in the container being torn away from trailer bed when container hit expressway overpass, causing serious personal injuries.
  • Waypoint Aviation Services, Inc., et al. v. Lycoming Engines, a Division of Avco Corporation and Textron, Inc.
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Currently represent Lycoming Engines and Textron in class action product liability lawsuit involving reciprocating aircraft engines manufactured by defendants. Plaintiffs allege engines contain defective crankshafts and seek more than $60 million in damages. Fourth amended complaint is pending.
  • Yoder v. Roundy's Inc.
    Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.
    Defended Roundy’s in lawsuit arising from traffic accident involving 15 vehicles. Plaintiffs sought $110 million for multiple serious personal injuries and death; jury awarded $10.3 million to plaintiffs.