Framing expert witness Condominum expert witness High Springs Florida Florida Florida Expert Witness Engineer Directory

LA’s Wildfire Recovery Shifts to Costly and Chaotic Rebuilding

April 22, 2025 — John Gittelsohn - Bloomberg
Across the fire-ravaged neighborhoods around Los Angeles, the Army Corps of Engineers has deployed battalions of excavators to topple chimneys, uproot trees and scrape away the ashes of thousands of homes, preparing the ground for new construction. Signs for contractors offering their services dot burned-out lots. For homeowners who lost their residences, the attention has turned to rebuilding—quickly and affordably. In Altadena, where the Eaton Fire killed 19 people and nearly wiped out the community, a half-dozen neighbors met a contractor on Glenrose Avenue this month to discuss building new houses from the rubble. A separate group of 100 property owners have banded together to share architects and contractors, hoping to cut costs as they work to restore their homes. Over near the Pacific Palisades, dozens of homeowners who lost properties convened at a Santa Monica hotel last month to hear from a developer with proposals to rebuild using pre-planned models. The price, starting around roughly $3 million, is fixed with homes set for delivery within a year of breaking ground. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of John Gittelsohn, Bloomberg

California Levies $1 Billion Assessment on Insurers for LA Fires

February 12, 2025 — Leslie Kaufman, Michelle Ma & Eliyahu Kamisher - Bloomberg
California’s insurance commission plans to impose a $1 billion assessment on private insurers to shore up the FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort, after last month’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the assessment is necessary for the FAIR Plan to continue paying out claims to survivors of the fires, which destroyed more than 16,000 structures and resulted in insured losses of as much as $75 billion, according to one analysis. “The FAIR Plan must pay claims just like any other insurance company,” Lara said in a statement Tuesday. Reprinted courtesy of Leslie Kaufman, Bloomberg, Michelle Ma, Bloomberg and Eliyahu Kamisher, Bloomberg Read the full story...

The Evolution of Construction Jobsite Safety: Lessons From the Field

May 19, 2025 — Milwaukee Tool - Construction Executive
Each year, Construction Safety Week offers the construction industry an opportunity to pause and refocus on the most important goal: ensuring every worker returns home safely. Mike Spensieri, who leads jobsite safety initiatives at Milwaukee Tool, shared observations from the field about how safety engagement is evolving—and where it needs to go next. BROADENING THE CONVERSATION AROUND SAFETY Spensieri’s work spans personal protective equipment and safer tool usage practices. Throughout the year, his team works with contractors and safety directors to support jobsite safety programs across the country. “During Safety Week, we focus more directly on tradespeople themselves,” he explained. “We meet crews where they are—from small sites to megaprojects—and talk about real-world practices: everything from ergonomic tool use to OSHA dust regulations.” Reprinted courtesy of Milwaukee Tool, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the full story...

Navigating Construction Defect Claims and Statutes of Limitation: Key Lessons from Stoecklein v. Fayette Farms

March 25, 2025 — David McLain - Colorado Construction Litigation Blog
In the recent Colorado Court of Appeals decision Stoecklein v. Fayette Farms, LLC (2024 WL 5098330), the Court addressed critical issues surrounding construction defect claims, statutes of limitations, and the interplay between the Colorado Consumer Protection Act (“CCPA”) and the Construction Defect Action Reform Act (“CDARA”). This case underscores the importance of understanding the statutory framework governing construction defect litigation and highlights the complexities of determining when claims accrue under Colorado law. Background of the Case Lindsey and Chance Stoecklein entered into a contract with Redline Construction Corporation for the construction of a manufactured home. Redline subsequently assigned its responsibilities to High Country Construction & Development, LLC, which then subcontracted Fayette Farms, LLC, to install the home. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of David McLain, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell
Mr. McLain may be contacted at mclain@hhmrlaw.com

Congratulations to Newport Beach Partner Tyler D. Offenhauser and Associate Therese M. Ellis for Securing a Dismissal on a Premises Liability and Negligence Case!

March 18, 2025 — Dolores Montoya - Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP
Tyler D. Offenhauser and Therese M. Ellis forced adverse counsel to dismiss their Cross-complaint by filing a pro-active Motion for Summary Judgment involving a premises liability and negligence case. In this case, Plaintiff filed a Complaint against the Defendant HOA alleging a slip and fall accident as a result of slipping on a pile of leaves and debris on the sidewalk at the subject property. The property was owned and managed by the Defendant HOA. The Defendant HOA filed an Answer and Cross-complaint against BWB&O’s client for Comparative Negligence, Implied Indemnity, Contribution, and Declaratory Relief. Through meticulous preparation, thorough research, and strategic advocacy, Therese Ellis prepared and filed a Motion for Summary Judgment arguing that the client had no duty to perform landscaping services on the date of loss, had no notice of any dangerous condition, and that Plaintiff assumed the risk of such condition. Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Dolores Montoya, Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP

Significant Increase in Colorado Tort Damages Caps Now in Effect Under Recent Legislation

January 28, 2025 — Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP
Colorado’s recently enacted legislation (HB 24-1472), which significantly increases damages caps for tort actions, is now in effect. Given the legislation’s January 1, 2025, effective date, an early-2025 increase in new filings is anticipated for cases that otherwise could have been filed in 2024. The increases include:

For noneconomic damages in tort actions (other than against medical professionals), more than double the previous cap to $1.5 million (with future inflation adjustment).[1]
In wrongful death actions (other than against medical professionals), a greater than threefold increase from the previous limit to $2.125 million (with future inflation adjustment).[2]
In medical professional actions for wrongful death, a 50% increase from the previous overall cap to $1.575 million in 2029 (with future inflation adjustment). For injury claims, more than double the previous cap for noneconomic damages to $875,000 in 2029 (with future inflation adjustment).[3]

Read the full story...
Reprinted courtesy of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP

How Labor Law Fraud in New York Works: A Step-by-Step Primer on the Latest Construction Accident Scheme

February 25, 2025 — Tracy Abatemarco & Amy Curley - Wood Smith Henning Berman
New York's legal and insurance systems have long been fertile ground for exploitation, but recent revelations from a court filing by Tradesman Insurance provides an inside look at how a sophisticated construction accident fraud scheme has allegedly operated. The plaintiffs allege that the defendants- comprised of corrupt runner-claimants, attorneys, medical providers, and litigation funders- are orchestrating a wide-ranging criminal enterprise to stage construction accidents. From these false accidents the defendants file fraudulent claims, and reap millions of dollars in settlements, workers' compensation benefits, and litigation funding. This article explores the details of how this criminal enterprise operates. Step One: Recruitment of Claimants The defendants, including "runner" claimants and complicit attorneys, target construction workers, offering financial incentives to participate in staged accidents at pre-meditated, targeted construction sites. The runners are pivotal in recruiting and grooming workers to fake accidents and claim false injuries. Often, the workers are down on their luck or a vulnerable segment of our society desperate for money to make ends meet. In some cases, the runners act as claimants themselves, staging accidents and claiming manufactured injuries of their own. Reprinted courtesy of Tracy Abatemarco, Wood Smith Henning Berman and Amy Curley, Wood Smith Henning Berman Ms. Abatemarco may be contacted at tabatemarco@wshblaw.com Ms. Curley may be contacted at acurley@wshblaw.com Read the full story...

Billionaires and CEOs Gather for Milken in a Reeling LA

May 23, 2025 — John Gittelsohn & Maxwell Adler - Bloomberg
This week’s Milken Institute Global Conference represents one of the greatest concentrations of investment capital on the planet, highlighting the power and prestige of the Los Angeles area. With tickets starting at $25,000, the Beverly Hills confab attracts thousands of attendees eager to hear from titans of Wall Street, Washington and Hollywood. Speakers this year include US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Nvidia Corp.’s Jensen Huang and Citigroup Inc.’s Jane Fraser, with Elon Musk, Ken Griffin and Rupert Murdoch recently added to the list of appearances. Inside the Beverly Hilton, guests mingle, make deals or attend “healing sessions” in a wellness garden. In the evening, it’s off to parties at Spago or cocktails atop the Waldorf Astoria, featuring views of the sprawling LA landscape. Within a few miles, the scene gives way to a more stark reality. Reprinted courtesy of John Gittelsohn, Bloomberg and Maxwell Adler, Bloomberg Read the full story...

FRAMING EXPERT WITNESS CONDOMINUM EXPERT WITNESS HIGH SPRINGS FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES