October 11 2007
Lake County Jury Awards Verdict of $3.75 Million to Lake Villa Family
Lake Villa Resident Killed While Retrieving Mail
WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS – Attorneys Tara R. Devine and SS&P attorney of the law firm Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. obtained a $3.75 million wrongful death verdict on behalf of the Estate of Albert Z. Shlimon, deceased. The three-day trial was heard before the Honorable Wallace Dunn who entered judgment on the jury’s verdict in Lake County, Illinois. [ROBERT HANNA, as Independent Administrator of the Estate of ALBERT SHLIMON, Deceased, No. 04 L 0784 vs. RONALD A. SCHNEIDER Defendant.]
On July 22, 2004, the Plaintiff, Albert Z. Shlimon, 39, was retrieving mail from his mailbox on the east side of Route 59, outside of his home in Lake Villa, Illinois. At the same time the Defendant, Ronald A. Schneider, was driving north on Route 59 and swerved off the roadway killing Albert Shlimon. The mailbox, in front of the family’s residence, was well off the roadway.
The Defense counsel argued that the Plaintiff was appealing to the jury’s sympathy and the amount for this type of loss was intangible. The Plaintiff’s countered that this was a tremendous loss to all five family members. Lead Plaintiff attorney Tara Devine said, “The family was adamant that the defendant was not only negligent, but that his conduct demonstrated a conscious disregard toward others, specifically in this case of Albert Shlimon.”
“Albert Shlimon was the anchor of the family,” said SS&P attorney. “He was a loving brother and a devoted son. The jury recognized the impact Albert’s death had on the family and we are pleased that the verdict reflects the tremendous loss. This death could have been avoided.”
Albert Shlimon is survived by his parents, Zia Shlimon Hanna and Soaad Dawood, his two sisters, Lilyan Giso and Anita Shlimon Banks and his brother Robert Hanna. The family owns and operates Villa Pantry located in Lake Villa
Following the verdict, Robert Hanna, the brother of the decedent said, “We are satisfied that the jury recognized the family’s loss and would like to thank the jury and our attorneys.”
