ABOUT THE CLAIM
Guardian’s Construction Defect Group was called into a parking garage. case at the request of the insurance carrier’s counsel. Their insured, a concrete contractor who had uniquely served and was covered in both his manufacturing and installation capacities, was being sued for $12MM. The principal claimed widespread cracking throughout his brand new, 1000-spot parking garage, and the solution proposed by opposing counsel was remuneration for the costs of a complete tear-down and re-build.
ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
Immediately upon notification of the case, Guardian’s construction defect expert team, including a structural engineer, headed to the nation’s Mid-Atlantic region for a complete on-site inspection. Field observations confirmed the plaintiff’s claim: there was cracking evidenced throughout the four stories, especially in the garage’s spandrels. The impact of these cracks is that they then. allow for the accumulation of water inside the concrete wherein rust can wear away at the rebar and other steel underpinnings, thus impacting the structural integrity of the entire garage.
ABOUT THE RESOLUTION
Guardian’s construction defect expert explained to carrier and counsel that said symptoms can often, in fact, be the result of improper pouring and curing processes. But why try to defend the contractor against these potential allegations, when accepting partial fault and proposing an alternate remedy might better serve all parties interests? The team agreed on this strategic path, and Guardian’s engineers, in collaboration with other concrete repair specialists, prescribed a unique fix for the cracking for which the cost would only be 10% of the initial recovery sought. All parties agreed to this settlement and all required repairs were made to the garage in a matter of months.
ABOUT GUARDIAN GROUP, INC.
With over 30 years’ complex construction claims experience behind it, Guardian Group’s Construction Defect Group supports carriers and their counsel with the technical expertise they need to defend their contractors, minimize losses, and expedite claims resolution. Known for our rapid response times, our breadth and depth of capability, and our proven capacity for innovative problem-solving, we look forward to seeing how we can put our construction defects case know-how to work for you. Kindly visit the website and reach out to get to know us better today.