Chris Bator
Chris Bator counsels clients, including insurance companies and captive carriers, on insurance coverage issues and litigates insurance coverage disputes. Oftentimes, claims involving millions of dollars are at stake. In particular, Mr. Bator has counseled clients, both domestic and international, and litigated insurance coverage cases involving employer liability (including employment intentional tort actions), environmental/pollution claims, product liability, uninsured/underinsured motorists claims, commercial and residential construction losses, workplace discrimination, director and officer liability, crime losses, health insurance, life insurance (including litigation involving viaticals), credit life and disability claims, excess/umbrella claims and issues involving reinsurance. Mr. Bator also has extensive experience in handling insurance bad faith claims which are often included in a litigated coverage action. Mr. Bator has litigated such claims in both state and federal courts, including courts of appeal.
Mr. Bator has extensive experience defending clients in personal injury actions, including auto accidents, premises liability, dram shop and workplace injuries. He has litigated such claims at both the trial and appellate court levels.
Mr. Bator has also handled ERISA, construction litigation, commercial litigation, business disputes, real estate litigation and product liability actions.
In addition, Mr. Bator has experience in defending employers in class action litigations involving wage and hour issues under both the Fair Labor Standards Act and state law. The issues have included alleged violations of overtime, meal and rest break requirements, as well as waiting time penalties associated with payment of wages upon termination. Besides the substantive law issues, Mr. Bator has addressed the procedural issues involved with these class action litigations, including the scope of discovery and class certification.
Mr. Bator is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan, Ohio and American Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys and the Catholic Lawyers Guild.