What Are the Challenges in Multi-Party Construction Litigation?
A construction project can involve a variety of people and companies, so it’s no surprise that lawsuits can get complex quickly. If you are involved in a multi-party construction lawsuit, you need to make sure that you have an experienced attorney representing you and fighting for your best interests. Our seasoned Houston construction litigation lawyers could be just who you need.
What Can Complicate Multi-Party Construction Cases?
A multi-party construction case can get complicated quickly due to the different parties involved and the different types of organizations that they represent. A conflict could arise between a contractor and a subcontractor, but a supplier could also be involved. Some stakeholders, like public entities and large financial institutions, can also end up in conflict with one another due to what is happening on the job site.
Whether there is a conflict about the scope of work, payment, or the quality of materials, lawsuits are costly and end up costing you even more money when you consider the delays to your project. It is in your best interest to get everything resolved right away.
Are There Other Ways to Solve Conflicts in Multi-Party Construction Cases?
In some cases, one party accuses another party of causing an issue. That party makes a counterclaim. Then another party levels complaints against both of these parties! It can be tough to deal with situations like these in standard litigation, which is why our law firm also specializes in finding other ways of resolving disputes.
Our main weapons here are mediation and arbitration. These feel less formal and do not seem to have the high stakes of a courtroom proceeding. As a result, sometimes all of the parties involved can calm down a bit and talk out their problems. In mediation, a third party uninvolved with the construction project will bring all feuding parties together and try to guide them to a compromise. Under arbitration, an arbitrator helps to settle everyone’s differences during a process that resembles a sped-up trial.
How Can a Lawyer Help With Contracts?
Another way that we can help is by looking over your contracts before any massive construction jobs begin. Our lawyers know how to draft contracts and we have plenty of experience dealing with some of the most common industry conflicts, meaning that we also know ways to try and prevent some issues from popping up in the first place. We can make sure that every party involved in the process has a clear understanding of their role and what they are allowed to do.
We cannot predict every potential problem, but we can do our best to minimize the chances of a conflict developing.
Talk to an Attorney Today
So if you have questions about a multi-party construction contract or you’ve run into some kind of conflict during a big job, contact Patout & Shaw. We can schedule a consultation and tell you more about what we can do to help you out of this situation.
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