EAST ST. LOUIS - Luke Wegmann of Woodlawn and John A. Logan College in Carterville settled the plaintiff's claim that rejection of his request for religious exemption from virus vaccination cost him $222,059.
Former district judge Patrick Murphy of Marion reported successful mediation of the case to Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel on Nov. 15.
Wegmann’s counsel Michael Cork of Indianapolis sued the college, president Kirk Overstreet, trustees, and heart sonography director Karen Kasban last year.
Cork claimed Kasban assigned Wegmann to study at Blessing Hospital in Quincy under its affiliation with the college.
He claimed Blessing Hospital didn’t grant vaccination exemptions but would have accepted one from the college.
Wegmann allegedly provided a statement to Kasban about his Christian beliefs, but she denied an exemption and forced him out of the program.
Cork alleged violation of free exercise of religion under national and state constitutions.
John A. Logan moved to dismiss the complaint, and Rosenstengel denied it in May. She found a sufficiently strong nexus between the injury Wegmann alleged and the conduct of defendants.
Nine days later, John A. Logan filed a third party counterclaim against Blessing Hospital.
College counsel Danielle Malaty of Chicago claimed Blessing Hospital and the college entered into a partnership that bound them to terms and conditions.
She claimed Blessing Hospital must defend and indemnify John A. Logan directors, officers, employees and students against claims, demands, suits, and judgments arising from Blessing Hospital’s negligence.
Blessing Hospital counsel Deanna Litzenburg of Belleville moved to dismiss the counterclaim in August, stating Wegmann sued defendants for their own conduct.
She denied that Blessing Hospital and John A. Logan entered into a partnership.
Wegmann retained vocational economist Sara Ford of Louisville, Kentucky, as his expert, and she interviewed him in September.
She provided a report stating he hoped to begin the sonography program next year, and he assumed he’d complete it in 2025.
Ford stated Wegmann decided to return to school after a career in the National Guard and occupations in support of the Army.
She added that he would have completed the program and started working this December.
She calculated he missed two years of income and benefits worth $222,059.
In October, the college moved to stay briefing on Blessing Hospital’s motion to dismiss the counterclaim pending mediation on Nov. 10.
Litzenburg opposed a stay, claiming John A. Logan had the audacity to use mediation as an excuse for failure to oppose Blessing Hospital’s motion.
She asked Rosenstengel to dismiss the counterclaim, but Rosenstengel found three way mediation appropriate.
She set a distant deadline for John A. Logan’s response to Blessing Hospital’s motion, and she ordered the hospital to mediate.
Murphy achieved agreement, and Rosenstengel gave the parties 60 days to finalize it.