Courtroom Success 2015-36: New Jersey Partner Christopher Martin & Associate Kohar Boyadjian

New Jersey Partner Christopher Martin and Associate Kohar Boyadjian received a defense arbitration award involving a commercial liability matter. The plaintiff was injured due to an alleged malfunctioning coolant compressor that created a leak and water accumulation in large commercial store of a multi-state entity. The plaintiff was a patron and fell on this accumulation, suffering severe knee ligament tears and significant medical expenses. The store chain filed for bankruptcy protection and the case was allowed to continue against our client as the owner of the shopping center facility. It was argued by the plaintiff that any defects and improper maintenance of the compressor was the responsibility of the landlord. After arguing contract and case law along with the facts secured through discovery, the arbitrator agreed with our client’s position and returned an award of zero liability against our client.