Kate Crouch Obtains Favorable Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Award

In our firm’s first foray into Cook County’s mandatory arbitration program for Law Division cases, partner Kate Crouch obtained a defense verdict in favor of our client.  The case at bar involved an accident between a cyclist and a driver who left work to pick up refreshments for herself and her colleagues.  We represented the employer of the motorist.  Crouch successfully argued that the driver was not within the course or scope of her duties at the time of the accident and her actions did not advance our client’s business interests, so her negligent conduct could not be imputed back to her employer in any way.  The arbitrator agreed, making an award in Plaintiff’s favor against the driver only.

While this result is nonbinding and a rejection of the award is possible, this favorable result hopefully bodes well for a jury’s eventual decision and advises Plaintiff of the difficult road ahead should this action be pursued against our client.  A summary judgment motion has already been filed in this action.  LPP is hopeful that it, too, will be favorably decided for our client.