Biography

Raymond Lyons is a partner of Williams Montgomery & John Ltd. and a member of the firm’s product liability, construction, transportation and tort defense practice groups. He focuses his practice on defending product liability, construction, transportation, catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawsuits brought in state and federal courts around the country. Mr. Lyons serves as vice-chair of the product liability group of the Primerus Defense Institute. He is “AV Preeminent” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability.

Mr. Lyons was selected by his peers for inclusion in Illinois Leading Lawyers for personal injury defense, general, and transportation defense, including aviation/FELA/maritime.

Mr. Lyons has more than 30 years of jury trial experience and has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States, including successfully trying more than 40 cases to verdict. He has represented numerous clients in a range of industries, including TruGreen Limited Partnership, TruGreen Lawncare LLC, The Terminix International Company, L.P., ServiceMaster Company, Manchester Tank & Equipment Company, McWane, Inc., Tyler Pipe, Inc., Gehl Company, Walsh Construction, Gertz Electric Company, National Indemnity Insurance Company, and Zurich Insurance Company.

Mr. Lyons has extensive experience in product liability, construction, fraud and transportation matters. He has represented pressure container manufacturers and agricultural equipment manufacturers in numerous catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. He also has served as national trial counsel for several national pest control and lawncare companies representing these clients in transportation, toxic tort, construction defect and general liability matters.

Education/Bar Admissions

Mr. Lyons received a B.S. in mathematics in 1973 from Loyola University of Chicago. He received his J.D., with honors, in 1980 from DePaul University College of Law.

Mr. Lyons was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1980 and also been admitted to the following federal trial courts:

• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (including the trial bar)
• U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin

In addition, Mr. Lyons has been admitted pro hac vice in 20-25 states and federal courts throughout the country.

Professional Activities

Mr. Lyons is active in a number of professional and civic organizations, including:

• Chicago Bar Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute, Product Liability Committee
• International Society of Primerus Law Firms, vice-chair, Product Liability Group
• Professional Liability Underwriters Society

Representative Cases

Leroy Latos v. Manchester Tank & Equipment Company, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Achieved defense verdict in favor of Manchester Tank after seven-week trial of product liability lawsuit seeking $32 million in damages. Plaintiff alleged that a defective Manchester 20 lb. propane cylinder was overfilled, resulting in a fire that caused plaintiff to suffer burns over 97 percent of his body, incur more than $6.6 million in medical expenses and die from his injuries 6 ½ years later.

Baron Legue v. Manchester Tank & Equipment Company, Circuit Court of Winnebago County, Ill.: Successfully resolved product liability and breach of warranty lawsuit with no payment of damages by client Manchester Tank. Plaintiff was severely burned in propane fire/explosion allegedly caused by a defective propane cylinder manufactured by Manchester Tank.

Estate of Walter Fisher v. Manchester Tank & Equipment Company and McWane, Inc., Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained dismissal of product liability/wrongful death lawsuit against Manchester and McWane. Plaintiff alleged a product defect in Manchester pressure container exposing plaintiff to Freon gas and resulting in his death.

Theuerkauf v. Hedlund Manufacturing Company, Circuit Court of Menomonie County, Mich.: Favorably settled wrongful death lawsuit against client Hedlund Manufacturing. Plaintiffs alleged that improper warnings on Hedlund agitator pump in an underground contained slurry storage system resulted in the asphyxiation deaths of five members of a dairy farming family.

Angelo v. Johnson, Circuit Court of DuPage County, Ill.: Achieved defense verdict finding no liability in lawsuit arising from a motor vehicle accident. Plaintiff claimed severe internal injuries with resulting spleenectomy.

Berkenstock v. Terminix, Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia, Pa.: Achieved defense verdict in favor of Terminix in lawsuit arising out of trucking accident. Plaintiff claimed severe spinal/nervous system injuries.

Thomas Guarnieri v. Scenic Trails Bus Transportation Company, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Achieved favorable verdict for Scenic Trails in personal injury lawsuit arising from a bus accident. Plaintiff, a commodity broker, sought damages for severe spinal injury/surgeries and loss of a seven-figure income and his future earning capacity. Jury awarded plaintiff $42,500, which was reduced by 75 percent for plaintiff’s contributory fault. Decision affirmed on appeal by both the Illinois Appellate Court and Illinois Supreme Court.

Jeffrey Angelos v. TruGreen, Norfolk Superior Court, Dedham, Mass.: Achieved favorable verdict for defendant TruGreen in lawsuit arising from trucking accident. TruGreen admitted liability; plaintiff received nuisance value award at trial on damages.

Timothy Williams v. Zurich and Terminix, In the Circuit Court, 4th Judicial Circuit in and for Duval County, Fla.: Achieved favorable verdict for defendants Zurich and Terminix in bad faith insurance lawsuit arising out of motor vehicle accident. Plaintiff received nuisance value award.

Marilyn Bryan v. Terminix, District Court of Sedgwick County, Kan.: Achieved favorable verdict for Terminix in lawsuit arising from motor vehicle accident. Plaintiff claimed severe spinal injuries. Plaintiff received nuisance value award, which was reduced by 45 percent for plaintiff’s contributory fault.

Fernando Gomez v. Schmitt, Circuit Court of DuPage County, Ill.: Achieved favorable defense verdict for Schmitt in lawsuit arising from motor vehicle accident in which plaintiff claimed head/brain injuries.

Solomon Bias v. PRC Environmental Management, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained summary judgment decision for client PRC Environmental in litigation arising from ACME environmental cleanup project.

Simmons v. TruGreen Limited Partnership, Circuit Court of Middlesex County, N.J.: Obtained summary judgment decision for client TruGreen in premises liability lawsuit.

Choe v. TruGreen Landcare LLC, Superior Court of California, County of Orange: Achieved directed verdict in favor of TruGreen in lawsuit arising from bicycle/truck accident.