Construction Law Blog

Scaffold Law Claims Against Contractors Continue To Increase

Few topics in construction law are more controversial than Labor Law Section 240, better known as the Scaffold Law, which imposes absolute liability on contractors, property owners, and their agents for elevation-related injuries to construction workers. The number of Scaffold Law cases has increased by 500% since 1990.[1]

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Strings of a Marionette Puppet

Like the strings of a marionette puppet, after the completion of a New York construction project, there are various legal theories that serve as ties between the builder and the owner. For the builder, the sooner these lingering ties can be removed the less exposure they face for claims of defects. For the owners, the longer they are able to establish these connections, the longer they may have legal recourse against the builder for defects.

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New York Leads 2023 Top 10 States For Green Building and Construction – A Facility Executive Article

The Law Offices of John Caravella, P.C. does not own this content. This content was created by Facility Executive and was published on 1-4-2024. To view the full article, please click here. 

For the first time ever, New York has earned the top spot on the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual list of Top 10 States for LEED. New York earned its number-one ranking based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year, which led the country in green building. New York totaled 201 newly LEED-certified projects in 2023 that encompassed more than 93 million square feet, equating to nearly 4.6 LEED-certified square feet per resident. Continue reading “New York Leads 2023 Top 10 States For Green Building and Construction – A Facility Executive Article”

Contractors in New York may not be bound by Architect Certifications

Construction contracts in New York often place the architect or engineer in the additional role of an initial impartial decider as to any disagreement or disputes between the contractor and the owner, in addition to their roles as the design professionals.

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Deconstructing the Construction Contract

John Caravella, Esq. of The Law Offices of John Caravella, P.C. will be one of three presenters at the Nassau County Bar Association Construction Law Committee’s seminar, next in its series of presentations addressing issues in the field of Construction Law.

On December 18, 2012, at 12:30 pm, the Construction Law Committee in the Founders Room at the Home of the Association,  will present Deconstructing the Construction Contract.

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Protections Provided to Contractors and Architects Under New York’s Economic Loss Rule

In a nutshell, the  “economic loss rule” is a rule that courts use to prevent a plaintiff from against a defendant for a tort (usually negligence) when the essence of the claim is for failure to live up to the terms of a contract.

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Spring Bounce Continues for Long Island Construction Employment – A Long Island Business News Article

The Law Offices of John Caravella, P.C. does not own this content. This content was created by David Winzelberg , and was published to the Long Island Business News on June 7th, 2024. To view the full article, please click here.

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Considerations for Drafting Construction Contracts

To minimize potential legal problems when planning construction, whether the project is a large commercial project, a new residence, or even a renovation to an existing structure, care must be taken to have essential terms included in the contract. The failure to identify essential terms in the construction contract will lead to project confusion, extended completion time and expenses, as well as raise the likelihood of a future legal dispute. Below are several terms to consider in any construction contract:

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Construction Warranties in New York. Sometimes Less is More.

Any property owner considering construction work will want reassurance that the work will be done well, and will be free of defects for a specified time frame. Many contractors even include a warranty clause in their contract. Such warranties (also called guarantees) require the contractor to correct any defects through additional work on the project over the specified time. What are some of the specific factors within Construction Warranties?

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Pitfalls in Extending a Mechanic’s Lien on Residential Properties

 A Lien (or ‘Mechanic’s Lien’) is a potentially powerful tool for contractors, architects, engineers, or suppliers of materials to secure payment for work performed ‘improving’ a property[1]. To properly ‘perfect’ a lien claim, however, strict compliance with the nuances of the New York lien law is required, and often times there are details in the process commonly overlooked.

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