Judge Stephen E. Balogh has given final approval for Northern Illinois residents affected by the 2021 Chemtool disaster to receive $5.5 million from Holian Insulation Company as part of a second settlement in the class action lawsuit. The conditions of the final order were the same as the preliminary agreement he had approved on Friday, June 27, 2025.
With $3.5 million available after expenses and fees, the average payment might be over $500. Residents who previously received payments from the Chemtool settlement – averaging more than $10,000 each – didn’t need to apply again. For those who were missed the first time, the claim deadline was October 13. New class members in the Holian settlement won’t receive anything from the earlier Chemtool settlement, as those funds have already been sent out.
At the hearing on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, parties in the Chemtool, Lubrizol, and Holian Insulation lawsuit met in Judge Stephen Balogh’s court in Belvidere. The five male plaintiffs’ attorneys appeared in person, in suits and ties, while the defense attorneys appeared via Zoom. As usual, lead plaintiff Charles Grasley of Rockton was there too…