Earlier this month, the State of Washington Court of Appeals affirmed a $150 million jury verdict against subcontractors involved in the disassembly of a tower crane that collapsed in 2019. The collapse, which was caught on video, killed four people and injured five. The Washington court’s recent opinion is notable for its detailed explanation of what
Litigation
The American Rule Stands? Appellate Court Remands for Prevailing Party to Segregate Between Recoverable and Non-Recoverable Fees
Another week, another fee-shifting case. This ones involves a 28-unit condo project in the Houston Heights neighborhood of Houston (see 2017 Yale Development, LLC v. Steadfast Funding, LLC, 2023 WL 3184028 (Tex. App. May 2, 2023)). The project failed after the developer defaulted on its loans and several contractors filed liens on the property. …
Contextual “Construction” of Force Majeure Clauses
The Texas Supreme Court recently provided new guidance in interpreting force majeure language in an oil and gas drilling dispute. In Point Energy Partners Permian, LLC v. MRC Permian Company, the court held that the oil and gas lessee’s scheduling error linked to a well collapse 60 miles from the lease site at issue…
Preserve Your Claims by Preserving the Evidence
A recent case out of Washington serves as a good reminder to preserve evidence that may be relevant to pending or future litigation. That includes not only evidence in the form of documents and electronic information, but also physical evidence. In Seattle Tunnel Partners, 2023 WL 2856616 (Wash. Ct. App. April 10, 2023) the…