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Construction Delays in the Time of Coronavirus: A Legal Perspective
A statute of repose is a law that sets a fixed time limit after which a lawsuit cannot be brought regardless of when an alleged injury occurred or was discovered....more
The UK Supreme Court’s (Court) decision in URS Corporation Ltd v. BDW Trading Ltd [2025] UKSC 21 resolves key questions around the recoverability of remediation costs where the developer no longer owns the property and has no...more
Setting the Stage for Construction Litigation Support - The scale and complexity of construction projects often lead to a different outcome than expected, creating a dispute between the parties. Many construction disputes...more
Duty, breach and damage are the three essential elements of a claim in contract or tort. Demonstrating breach of a duty is insufficient on its own to found liability. A claimant must demonstrate that the breach is the cause...more
On November 8, 2024, in Marina v. Bama Reinforcing, LLC, the Alabama Supreme Court addressed a trial court’s directed verdict on an injured construction worker’s negligence action. The worker was employed as a concrete...more
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals recently reversed, in part, and affirmed, in part, a lower court decision regarding dismissal of contractual indemnity and implied indemnity claims. WW Consultants was the design...more
A pair of recent rulings involving the economic loss doctrine from North Carolina serve as a timely reminder to carefully consider the extent of contractual remedies in negotiation of construction agreements – lest a later...more
In another significant opinion from the North Carolina appellate courts, the Court of Appeals recently expanded the application of the collateral source rule to negligence claims arising out of construction disputes in a case...more
The Oregon Court of Appeals recently issued a decision touching on the economic loss doctrine and vicarious liability in a construction dispute. The outcome provides key lessons for manufacturing companies that may maintain...more
Often times, both contract and tort claims co-exist in a subrogation matter and the line between the two can be blurred. This is especially true in the context of damages resulting from new home construction defect claims....more
In its broadest sense, the "economic loss rule" prohibits recovery in tort for purely economic loss incurred under contract law. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary online defines tort as "a wrongful act other than breach of...more
Peoples Gas Sys. v. Posen Constr., Inc., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 106427 (M.D. Fla. June 26, 2018) - In 2009 Posen Construction, Inc. (“Posen”), a road construction contractor, entered into a general contractor agreement with...more
Dormitory Auth. of the State of NY v. Samson Constr. Co., 2018 N.Y. Lexis 218 (February 15, 2018) - The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (“DASNY”) undertook, as project manager, to construct a facility for the...more
McMillin Albany LLC v. Superior Court, No. S229762, 2018 Cal. LEXIS 211 (Jan. 18, 2018) - Several homeowners (“Plaintiffs”) brought suit against developer/general contractor McMillin Albany LLC (“McMillin”) for alleged...more
S. Indus. Contractors, LLC v. Neel-Schaffer, Inc., No. 1:17CV255-LG-JCG, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 196804 (S.D. Miss. Nov. 30, 2017) - This case arises out of the West Pier Facilities project at the Port of Gulfport,...more
Team Contrs., L.L.C. v. Waypoint NOLA, L.L.C., No. 16-1131, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 162172 (E.D. La. Oct. 2, 2017) - Waypoint NOLA (“Waypoint”) was the owner of a hotel construction project in New Orleans (the “Project”). ...more
Zirkelbach Constr., Inc. v. DOWL, LLC, 2017 Mont. Lexis 591 (Mont., Sept. 26, 2017) - In interpreting a state statute which makes contractual limitations on a party’s liability unenforceable in certain instances, the...more
Although the federal courts have followed the Spearin doctrine since 1918, it took Missouri just shy of a century to come on board. Under U.S. v. Spearin, it was held that when a government entity includes detailed...more
I read in my Twitter feed this morning about a recent case where the Missouri Court of Appeals formally adopted the Spearin Doctrine. I immediately wondered if I could explain the Spearin Doctrine in less than 140...more
The legal doctrine of implied fitness of design warranty, recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court, provides that a contractor bound to build according to plans and specifications prepared by an owner will not be responsible for...more
LaShip, LLC v. Hayward Baker, Inc., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 3694 (5th Cir. Mar. 1, 2017) - Beginning in 2007, LaShip, LLC (“LaShip”) undertook the construction of a large shipbuilding facility in Houma, Louisiana (the...more
City of Whiting, Indiana v. Whitney, Bailey, Cox, & Magnani, LLC, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150229 (N.D. Ind. Nov. 5, 2015) - The City of Whiting, Indiana (the “City”) contracted with American Structurepoint, Inc....more
This is the second post in the four-part series “Limitations of liability—The Elephant in the Room.” Waivers of consequential damages have become the industry standard, and these clauses are found in most industry...more