Geoff F. Palachuk | Lane Powell A contractor sued for breach of contract for construction defects will often assert an affirmative defense that the owner supplied deficient plans or specifications. Because that defense operates to completely shield the contractor from liability for alleged defects, Division One of the Washington Court of Appeals has reaffirmed the… Continue reading Washington Appellate Court Reaffirms Rule That Contractors’ Defense of Deficient Plans or Specifications Must be the Sole Cause of the Breach in Order to Shield Contractors From Liability
Category: Construction Claims
Fifth Circuit Holds Insurer Owes Duty to Defend Latent Condition Claim That Caused Fire Damage to Property Years After Construction Work
Jeremy Macklin | Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry Most general liability policies only provide coverage for “property damage” that occurs during the policy period. Thus, when analyzing coverage for a construction defect claim, it is important to ascertain the date on which damage occurred. Of course, the plaintiffs’ bar crafts pleadings to be purposefully vague… Continue reading Fifth Circuit Holds Insurer Owes Duty to Defend Latent Condition Claim That Caused Fire Damage to Property Years After Construction Work
Subcontractor Certification of Pass-Through Claim — Defective but Correctable
Eric A. Frechtel and Lee-Ann C. Brown | Buildsmart In June, the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) addressed whether it had jurisdiction where a subcontractor pass-through claim was certified under the Contract Disputes Act (CDA) by the subcontractor’s president, not the prime contractor’s representative. In its motion to dismiss, the government argued that under the… Continue reading Subcontractor Certification of Pass-Through Claim — Defective but Correctable
What You Need To Know About Construction Weather Delay Claims
Jeffrey S. Wertman | Berger Singerman Inclement weather particularly tropical storms and hurricanes can have a devastating economic impact on a construction project. There may be labor cost overruns, material cost overruns, equipment rental overruns and disruption of cash flow due to time extensions and interest payments, just to name a few. Planning for and… Continue reading What You Need To Know About Construction Weather Delay Claims
Read Before You Sign: Claim Waivers in Project Documents
William E. Underwood | ConsensusDocs Not all claim waivers are appropriately titled “Waiver of Claims.” In fact, claim waivers can be found “hiding” without any advertisement or fanfare in a number of project documents, including change orders and applications for payment. So although getting work quickly approved and paid for is important, taking time to… Continue reading Read Before You Sign: Claim Waivers in Project Documents