Iowa Court Holds Defective Work Performed by Insured's Subcontractor Constitutes an "Occurrence"
July 28, 2016 —
Tred R. Eyerly – Insurance Law HawaiiThe Iowa Supreme Court held that property damage caused by a subcontractor's defective work was an "occurrence." Nat'l Sur. Corp. v. Westlake Invs., LLC, 2016 Iowa LEXIS 71 (Iowa June 10, 2016).
In 2002, the insureds, the developers and general contractor, began construction on an apartment complex. While the complex was still under construction, it was purchased by Westlake Investments, LLC.
During construction, numerous problems surfaced, including visible water penetration issues in several buildings. In February 2008, Westlake sued the insureds, seeking to recover lost profits, repair costs, and other damages under tort and contract theories. Arch Insurance Group defended under the primary policy. A settlement was eventually reached whereby a consent judgment for $15,600,000 was entered against the insureds and in favor of Westlake. Arch contributed its policy limits of $1,000,000 to the settlement. Other third party defendants contributed $1,737,500, leaving $12,762,500 of the judgment unsatisfied. The insureds assigned rights under their excess policy with National Surety Corporation (NSC) to Westlake. NSC's policy was a following-form policy.
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Tred R. Eyerly, Insurance Law HawaiiMr. Eyerly may be contacted at
te@hawaiilawyer.com
Trio of White and Williams Attorneys Named Top Lawyers by Delaware Today
January 06, 2020 —
John Balaguer, FACTL, Stephen Milewski, & Dana Monzo - White and WilliamsWhite and Williams is pleased to announce that John Balaguer, Managing Partner of the Wilmington office, Partner Stephen Milewski, and Counsel Dana Spring Monzo have been chosen by their peers as Delaware Today's 2019 "Top Lawyers." The annual list recognizes John, Steve and Dana in the practice area of Medical Malpractice, Defense.
Delaware Today conducts an annual survey of the 4,900 members of the Delaware State Bar Association to identify top lawyers in specific practice areas. The magazine’s editors compile the results to create the annual Top Lawyers list, which is published in the November issue.
Reprinted courtesy of White and Williams attorneys
John Balaguer,
Stephen Milewski and
Dana Monzo
Mr. Balaguer may be contacted at balaguerj@whiteandwilliams.com
Mr. Milewski may be contacted at milewskis@whiteandwilliams.com
Ms. Monzo may be contacted at monzod@whiteandwilliams.com
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Tips for Drafting Construction Contracts
May 04, 2020 —
Stuart Rosen - Construction ExecutiveWhen negotiating a construction contract, a contractor and its advisers must first determine the areas of greatest concern.
For example, if the contractor believes that the drawings that were prepared by the architect and other design professionals are deficient, the contractor may want to reference those deficiencies in the contract. The contractor should emphasize that it is not responsible for the drawings and to the extent the project schedule is extended to allow the parties to address such issues with the drawings, the contractor would be entitled to additional compensation.
This article provides contractors with additional tips, with a broad focus on project delays, for their protection when negotiating and drafting construction contracts, and helps contractors understand the rationale for such tips to better prepare contractors in such negotiations.
Contractor’s liability to the owner for delay damages
It is imperative that the contract include a waiver of claims for consequential damages. AIA Document A201TM – 2017 includes such a waiver, which provides, in pertinent part, “The Contractor and Owner waive Claims against each other for consequential damages arising out of or relating to this Contract … This mutual waiver is applicable, without limitation, to all consequential damages due to either party’s termination in accordance with Article 14.”
Reprinted courtesy of
Stuart Rosen, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
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Mr. Rosen may be contacted at
srosen@proskauer.com
Updated 3/13/20: Coronavirus is Here: What Does That Mean for Your Project and Your Business?
March 16, 2020 —
Alexander Gorelik, Joshua E. Holt, Brian N. Krulick, Shoshana E. Rothman, A. Michelle West, & Brian S. Wood - Smith CurrieThe outbreak of COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) has wreaked a considerable human toll of death, physical suffering, fear, and anxiety internationally. Much of the fear and anxiety results from a lack of information or a full understanding about the spread of the disease, protection against infection, and treatment. At Smith, Currie & Hancock, we urge our clients, friends, and colleagues to take seriously, but calmly and prudently, the threat of this disease to protect yourselves, your loved ones, and your businesses. The first step in that process is to inform yourselves with reliable information. Toward that end, we direct your attention to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
In addition to the human toll, coronavirus has caused substantial disruptions to economies worldwide. In that regard, the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words,” is particularly foreboding. Satellite images taken by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of China at the outset of the coronavirus outbreak and approximately a month later show a dramatic decline in air pollution, signifying and illustrating a sharp decline in industrial activity and transportation caused by the disease.
Reprinted courtesy of Smith Currie attorneys
Alexander Gorelik,
Joshua E. Holt,
Brian N. Krulick,
Shoshana E. Rothman,
A. Michelle West, and
Brian S. Wood
Mr. Gorelik may be contacted at agorelik@smithcurrie.com
Mr. Holt may be contacted at jeholt@smithcurrie.com
Mr. Brian may be contacted at bnkrulick@smithcurrie.com
Ms. Shoshana may be contacted at serothman@smithcurrie.com
Ms. West may be contacted at amwest@smithcurrie.com
Mr. Wood may be contacted at bswood@smithcurrie.com
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Muir named Brown and Caldwell Eastern leader
January 09, 2023 —
Brown and CaldwellHARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 04, 2023 — Leading environmental engineering and construction services firm Brown and Caldwell today announces Senior Vice President Eric Muir has been promoted to leader of its growing Eastern business.
The largest of the company's regions with over 40 offices east of the Mississippi River, the Eastern business consists of clients in the water, wastewater, stormwater, environmental services, and water resources sectors.
Muir has a 20-year background in delivering highly technical civil and environmental engineering projects. He has held leadership and technical roles on some of the most complex projects encompassing water and wastewater treatment, distribution and collection, pumping, and conveyance systems. His experience includes master planning, detailed design, permitting, and construction services.
Since joining Brown and Caldwell in 2018, Muir's business development expertise and client-centric focus have played a key role in setting the company's regional strategic direction to achieve strong financial results.
"Eric is a highly strategic and inclusive leader, passionate about mentoring employees to reach their full potential," said Brown and Caldwell Chief Operating Officer Euan Finlay. "His deep knowledge of clients' environmental obstacles will enhance the positive impacts our teams have on the communities we serve."
Based in Connecticut, Muir will manage overall operations and lead the implementation of the firm's strategy in the East. He will continue the region's growth and lead efforts to make Brown and Caldwell the company of choice for clients, employees, and partners. He will work alongside regional leadership to align the firm's talent pool with clients to provide innovative, cost-effective solutions to challenges related to water quality, biosolids management, and aging infrastructure.
About Brown and Caldwell
Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 52 offices and 1,800 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For 75 years, our creative solutions have helped municipalities, private industry, and government agencies successfully overcome their most challenging water and environmental obstacles. As an employee-owned company, Brown and Caldwell is passionate about exceeding our clients' expectations and making a difference for our employees, our communities, and our environment. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com
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Lorelie S. Masters Nominated for Best in Insurance & Reinsurance for the Women in Business Law Awards 2021
November 08, 2021 —
Adriana A. Perez & Andrea DeField - Hunton Insurance Recovery BlogWe are pleased to announce that Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP insurance coverage partner
Lorelie S. Masters is one of only eight attorneys throughout the nation shortlisted for the Best in Insurance & Reinsurance category for the
Women in Business Law Awards 2021. The award honors “the outstanding achievements of women in over thirty different practice areas in business law from across Americas. These are individuals who stand out as leaders amongst their peers and who have been instrumental to innovative approaches in their field.”
A nationally recognized insurance coverage litigator, Ms. Masters has handled and tried cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country and in arbitrations in the United States and abroad. At issue in these cases, typically, have been millions of dollars of insurance coverage for product and environmental liability, like silicone gel breast implant and asbestos claims. She regularly advises clients on a wide range of liability coverages, including insurance for environmental, cyber, directors and officers, property damage, and other liabilities and loss. Most recently, she has advised clients in a variety of industries on COVID-19 losses under a wide variety of first-party property, business-interruption policies and “package policies,” and obtained multi-million dollar settlements under D&O, Side-A Only D&O and E&O policies.
Reprinted courtesy of
Adriana A. Perez, Hunton Andrews Kurth and
Andrea DeField, Hunton Andrews Kurth
Ms. Perez may be contacted at pereza@HuntonAK.com
Ms. DeField may be contacted at adefield@HuntonAK.com
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Maybe Supervising Qualifies as Labor After All
May 22, 2023 —
Christopher G. Hill - Construction Law MusingsRemember back in 2021 when I
“mused” about Dickson v. Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland et al.? Remember how the Eastern District of Virginia held that mere supervision does not qualify as “labor” under the federal
Miller Act? Well, the 4th Circuit recently weighed in on the appeal of that case and had some interesting things to say about the definition of labor.
As a quick reminder, Plaintiff worked as a project manager on a project to repair and upgrade certain stairs at the Pentagon. Plaintiff subcontracted with prime contractor Forney Enterprises Inc. on this project. On Dec. 20, 2018, the prime contract was terminated. Plaintiff filed the Miller Act suit on Feb. 5, 2020. Dickson alleged that Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland, or F&D, must pay him, pursuant to the Miller Act, the amount he is owed for the labor he performed on the project. Now before the district court were cross-motions for summary judgment. In evaluating Plaintiff’s claims, the district court examined the defendant’s claims that (1) Dickson’s work did not qualify as “Labor” under the Miller Act, and (2) that the suit was not timely filed. The Eastern District of Virginia court agreed with both arguments.
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The Law Office of Christopher G. HillMr. Hill may be contacted at
chrisghill@constructionlawva.com
Lump Sum Subcontract? Perhaps Not.
August 20, 2019 —
David Adelstein - Florida Construction Legal UpdatesLump sum subcontract? Perhaps not due to a recent ruling where the trial court said “No!” based on the language in the subcontract and contract documents generally incorporated into the subcontract.
This is a ruling on an interpretation of a subcontract and contract documents incorporated into the subcontract that I do not agree with and struggle to fully comprehend. The issue was whether the subcontract amount was a lump sum or subject to an audit, adjustment, and definitization based on actual costs incurred. Of course, the subcontractor (or any person in any business) is not just interested in recouping actual costs, but there needs to be a margin to cover profit and home office overhead that does not get factored into field general conditions.
In United States v. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, 2018 WL 6571234 (M.D.Fla. 2018), a prime contractor was hired to perform work on a federal project. During the work, the Government issued the prime contractor a Modification that had a not-to-exceed value and required the prime contractor to track its costs for this Modification separate from other contract costs. In other words, based on this Modification, the prime contractor was paid its costs up to a maximum amount and the prime contractor would separately cost-code and track the costs for this work differently than other work it was performing under the prime contract.
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David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris, P.A.Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at
dma@kirwinnorris.com
