Source: Berkley Construction Professional A construction manager hired and supervised a specialty contractor whose improper work caused mold during the renovation of two buildings at a nursing home facility. Unfortunately, the subcontractor did not have professional/pollution liability insurance which meant that the remediation costs were completely paid by  the construction manager. The total amount paid […]

Source: https://www.stateagreport.com/, October 5, 2023 District of Columbia AG Brian L. Schwalb settled with Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) for $57 million, the largest environmental settlement in D.C. history, to resolve allegations that the energy company released toxic pollution into the Anacostia River system in violation of CERCLA and D.C. environmental laws. Read more.

Source: https://www.app.com/, October 5, 2023 By: Jean Mikle The township will join with Save Barnegat Bay to challenge the state’s settlement with BASF, saying the company is not providing adequate compensation for Ciba-Geigy’s pollution of the property. Both Toms River and the environmental advocacy group contend the state failed to accurately quantify the damage done to […]

Source: https://www.insurancejournal.com/, October 2, 2023 By: Anthony Andersen and Larry Moonan Technology has revolutionized the architecture and engineering (A&E) design space over the past 40 to 50 years, allowing for improved efficiency and faster architectural design and output. However, these technological advances can also increase the chance for error — or in insurance terms, exposure […]

Source: Berkley Construction Professional A mechanical contractor underdesigned an HVAC system for a food processing facility. This led to worker illness and the inability of the facility to be utilized for its intended purpose. An outside engineer had to be retained to alter the HVAC system. Damages included lost profits from facility downtime, worker injuries, re-design […]

Source: Distinguished Programs A specialty contractor was hired by a general contractor (GC) to design and build a retaining wall for a commercial development. The GC was responsible for the  initial site development and infrastructure. Upon completion, the building developed cracks in both the walls and floors. It was determined that the design of the  […]

Source: https://beyondpesticides.org/, October 3, 2023 On September 19, 2023, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Corporation Counsel Mary B. Richardson-Lowry took legal action against agrochemical giant, Monsanto, filing a lawsuit that alleges the corporation’s role in polluting Chicago with Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) decades ago, despite knowing the chemicals’ detrimental effects.   PCBs are identified as “forever chemicals” due to […]

Source: https://hickoryrecord.com/, October 3, 2023 By: Kevin Kriffin Litigation over the collapse of the Hickory arches is coming to a close as the city of Hickory finalizes a settlement with four companies and one engineer. The parties came to terms during mediation in August, according to court documents. The mediation grew out of Hickory’s lawsuit […]

Source: Distinguished Programs A heavy highway and bridge contractor was hired to build an elevated highway. The contractor hired an engineer to design the temporary support structures (falsework) to be used to support the permanent structure until the highway was completed. A design flaw in the falsework caused a partial collapse of the highway resulting […]

Source: https://www.courthousenews.com/, September 28, 2023 By: Joe Kelly The city of Milwaukee’s government sued Monsanto on Thursday over ongoing contamination of its water systems by PCBs, a family of human-made toxic chemicals the agrochemical giant used in its products for decades. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are tasteless, odorless organic chemicals used in a variety of industrial and […]

Source: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/, September 27, 2023 By: Elena Goukassia San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum is suing Why Architects and Swinerton Builders over a $38m museum addition designed by the firm and built by the construction company. The museum announced the lawsuit in a press release on 25 September, saying that the legal action follows a claim filed against the […]

Source: Distinguished Programs A specialty concrete contractor under a design-build contract for a parking garage hired an engineering firm to  provide the structural specifications. Following construction, the garage owner noticed cracks in the support  columns. The cause was determined to be that the rebar specified in the engineering plan was insufficient to support  the structure. […]