Johnson v. Hoover Water Well Service, Inc.

George Johnson brought a negligence action against Hoover Water Well Service, Inc. (Hoover), in the Lake County circuit court to recover damages for personal injuries suffered by him in an explosion which occurred in an underground water well utility vault located on the property of Johnson’s employer, North Riverwood Center (NEC). Hoover in turn sought indemnity or contribution from NEC. By special verdict the jury found Johnson and Hoover both negligent, but found that Johnson’s negligence was not a proximate cause of his injuries. Johnson was awarded $909,000 in damages. Hoover’s complaint…