Design Professional Defense & Representation
With extensive experience in the areas of insurance defense, professional malpractice, and construction law and litigation in northern and central California, the law firm of Greve, Clifford, Wengel & Paras, LLP is well-situated to defend architects, engineers, land surveyors, and other design professionals who are sued for malpractice in the performance of their professional duties. In addition, we provide design professionals and their insurers with claims consultation and contracts negotiation to prevent problems from arising in the future.
Malpractice Defense
Today's bridges, roadways, and buildings are often immense structures that must support a tremendous amount of weight and constant use over a period of years, and they therefore must be designed and built with precision. In the event of a collapse or other structural failure, determining whether the responsibility lies with a faulty design, construction defect, the property owner (overloading, overcrowding, misuse), or an extraordinary event outside of any party's control, requires a thorough understanding and complex analysis of the facts, and the knowledge of how to proceed in the client's best interest. Our experience with construction defect litigation enables us to quickly identify issues and develop effective strategies and defenses when structural defects or accidents are blamed on the design professional.
Our lawyers represent design professionals in all manner of malpractice claims, including:
- Acts and omissions
- Improperly designed buildings/structures
- Building collapse, bridge collapse
- Construction defects
- Inadequate plans or specifications
- Failure to remediate within a timely manner
- Unexpected delays
Claims Consultation, Contracts Negotiation
In representing professional liability insurers as well as their insureds, we are frequently called upon in loss prevention consultations when claims arise. Our aggressive approach has proven invaluable in providing early and effective responses to such claims.
Often times, claims arise over a misunderstanding of the scope of the work to be performed, or alleged oral promises that are in variance with the terms of the written contract. We work with design professionals at the onset of transactions to prepare, negotiate or review contracts that clearly and precisely set out the work to be performed and expectations of the parties, with the rights of the professional preserved and protected should a dispute later emerge.
Experienced Representation Right from the Start
Whether drafting a contract at the start of a project, intercepting a claim, or responding to a lawsuit, the attorneys at Greve, Clifford have the skills and experience to provide expert representation for a positive outcome. In Sacramento, San Francisco, and throughout central and northern California, contact Greve, Clifford, Wengel & Paras, LLP.
