What is an Appraisal?
This article is part 3 of a series of articles discussing common considerations for homeowners before, during, and after a residential construction project. Part 3 focuses on what homeowners should look out for after...more
The plaintiff, a diesel technician, was lying beneath a lifted trailer working on a faulty airbrake system when the trailer fell on him, causing catastrophic injuries. The Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s dismissal...more
This Article is Part 1 in a series of articles discussing common considerations that homeowners should look for before, during, and after a residential construction project. Part 1 focuses on arguably the most important...more
When faced with a residential construction defect problem—such as water intrusion, poor workmanship, or material/design deficiencies—Washington homeowners are often left wondering whether they have a claim, who is at fault...more
In Ali Heidari v. Golden Bear Insurance, a California appeals court recently affirmed a lower court’s decision to deny relief under a CGL policy, where the policy excluded from coverage work performed by subcontractors under...more
A novel question arose over the past few years in residential construction law as to whether minors were subject to the contractual provisions in their parents’ purchase or construction contract. The contract typically has a...more
Good news for homebuilders in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Superior Court earlier this month affirmed a trial court order that awarded judgment on the pleadings in favor of the builder and dismissing the homeowners’...more
As a construction defect attorney, I know I am not alone with the frustration in trying to interpret the confusing, ambiguous, and often times nonsensical language which comprises Arizona’s Purchaser Dwelling Act, promulgated...more
In a recent decision touching on many interesting issues, North Carolina’s Court of Appeals effectively determined that, in all but the most obvious cases, expert testimony is required to establish a failure to perform...more
In a recent Arizona Court of Appeals case, Zambrano v. M & RC II LLC, 2021 WL 3204491 (7/29/2021), the Court of Appeals addressed the question whether a home builder’s attempt to disclaim implied warranties of workmanship and...more
In Mondoux v. Vanghel, No. 2018-219, 2021 R.I. LEXIS 2, 2021 WL 264542, the Supreme Court of Rhode Island considered whether to apply the “discovery rule” to toll the ten year statute of limitations in R.I. Laws § 9-1-13(a)...more
On December 8, 2020, in Taylor Morrison of Texas, Inc. v. Kohlmeyer, a Texas Court of Appeals rejected a contractor’s appeal of a trial court order denying the contractor’s motion to compel arbitration in a home construction...more
Welcome to our first Product Lines issue of 2020. Product Lines is our quarterly e-newsletter that focuses on toxic torts and product liability issues. For this edition, we are reporting on several important and timely...more
A year ago, we wrote about a rapidly emerging area of insurance litigation in Connecticut: crumbling foundations. As a quick recap, tens of thousands of homes in northeastern Connecticut built over a span of more than 30...more
McMillin Homes Constr., Inc. v. National Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 35 Cal.App.5th 1042 (2019); Fourth Appellate District Court of Appeal, Division One, Case No. D074219 (June 5, 2019). McMillin Homes Construction, Inc....more
A recent Utah Appellate Court upheld the dismissal of a homeowners' claims against a geotechnical engineer because the homeowners did not have a contract with the geotechnical engineer and therefore their claims were barred...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
In Kohler Co. v. Superior Court, 29 Cal. App. 5th 55 (2018), the Second District of the Court of Appeal of California considered whether the lower court properly allowed homeowners to bring class action claims under the Right...more
Overruling 35 years of precedent, the Illinois Supreme Court has held that buyers of newly constructed homes cannot sue subcontractors for breach of the implied warranty of habitability. Sienna Court Condominium Association...more
Gindel v. Centex Homes, 2018 Fla. App. LEXIS 13019 (Fla. 4th DCA Sept. 12, 2018) - A group of townhome owners (the “Homeowners”) sued the contractor and a subcontractor (collectively, “Contractor”) who built their...more
Most states have statutes of repose, which define the date certain for parties to assert any and all claims for construction and design related issues, and provide a final cut-off for liability with respect to a project. For...more
Developers need to keep an open mind to protect themselves against construction defect claims. Insurance is a vital tool, but it should not be the only one in a developer’s risk management toolbox. Another useful tool—the...more
In a win for residential developers seeking an alternative forum to resolve construction-defect claims, the Nevada Supreme Court rules that arbitration agreements in CC&Rs are enforceable. Based on the following, the court...more
The California Supreme Court ruled in McMillin Albany LLC et al. v. The Superior Court of Kern County, (1/18/2018) 4 cal. 5th 241, that California’s Right to Repair Act, California Civil Code sections 895 et seq. (“Act”) is...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