Hon. William J. Haddad, (Ret.), senior mediator and arbitrator at ADR Systems, recently settled a $6.2 million severe ankle injury case.

The injury was caused from a fall from an elevated work platform bucket, resulting in several ankle surgeries.

“The plaintiff’s failure to ‘tie on’ was a significant liability issue, but the central hindrance to settlement was a very deep dispute over the various layers of insurance,” Judge Haddad said. “Although we had only two defendants, there were more than 15 lawyers and insurance representatives advancing various coverage arguments.”

The plaintiff, a married 39-year-old linesman with two children, was critically injured from the 40-foot fall in April 2016 when a crane-sling holding a light pole was severed by a flange on the pole. This caused the pole to swing loose into the bucket, catapulting the plaintiff out of the bucket onto the ground.

“The key to this mediation was creating a fragile alliance among the insurance representatives and lawyers to forge a global offer,” Judge Haddad said. “It went late with impasses, which were overcome by some fortuitous and creative thinking. The parties did a great job.”

Judge Haddad is a highly regarded senior mediator and arbitrator with ADR Systems. He brings his vast business experience, legal knowledge and gregarious personality to all his mediations and arbitrations. He is a frequent presenter on legal topics and takes an active role in the community. As a lawyer, former judge and successful businessman, Judge Haddad brings insight and expertise to the resolution process.

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