Chris Bator counsels clients, including insurance companies and captive carriers, on insurance coverage issues and litigates, arbitrates and mediates 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.
Besides domestic insurance issues, Mr. Bator has experience in defending insureds in international coverage disputes, including claims involving the “Bermuda Form” insurance policy, which provides for mandatory and binding arbitration of coverage disputes in London, England, under the English Arbitration Act of 1996 with the application of New York substantive law.
In addition to his insurance experience, 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 and has litigated employment matters under the jurisdiction of the NLRB.
Mr. Bator is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan (Insurance Law Section), Ohio State and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys and the Catholic Lawyers Guild.