Fall River Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Fall River, MA

Construction Dispute Law in Massachusetts

When the owner of some real estate and a contractor enter an agreement for a construction project in Fall River, Massachusetts, be it a house, landscaping project, or large office building, there's always a chance that issues will come up, no matter how careful everyone is. A few minor setbacks are almost inevitable, in fact.

Most often, the owners of land and contractors can end disagreements before they get too serious, thus eliminating the need for litigation. Most contracts governing construction projects have built-in remedies for the most common problems, typically requiring the party that causes a delay or other problem to pay the other party a set fee.

Even if disagreements can't be resolved amongst the parties to the contract, they don't need to take their dispute into the court system. For instance, construction contracts typically call for mediation or arbitration before any disputes are resolved by the courts. Mediation is a process by which a third party serves as a sort of intermediary in settlement negotiations between the parties to the contract. The mediator can help keep negotiations on track, and suggest possible solutions the parties might not have thought of. The mediator can't issue a binding decision, however. Arbitration is a procedure through which the parties agree to have their dispute resolved by a third party, which can render a binding decision. Arbitration can be quicker and cheaper than litigation, and it has some other advantages, as well.

Construction Dispute litigation in Fall River, Massachusetts is typically time-consuming and expensive. But it is sometimes necessary, typically as a last resort.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Fall River, Massachusetts

Major Delays: If the contractor or a subcontractor is at fault in causing a considerable delay to a project (several months, for example), this may lead to a lawsuit. If the contract stated that time was of the essence for some reason (maybe the project was a new store that the owner hoped to open before the holiday shopping season, for example), a court can typically award the owner any damages that were caused by the delay.

Owner's refusal to pay: Contractors can also be the victims in construction disagreements. Sometimes, the person who hired them will refuse to pay the agreed-upon fee, or withhold a portion of it. This, without more, certainly constitutes breach of contract. However, in such cases, the owner will rarely go to court and say "I just didn't feel like paying, so I didn't." Alternatively, they will claim that they had a very good reason to withhold all or part of the payment, such as unsatisfactory work by the contractor. In these situations, the court has to determine if the owner has a valid reason for not paying. If it concludes that he or she does not, it will order the owner to pay the agreed-upon price.

Subcontractor Disputes: When a construction company is contracted to complete a large project, there is typically a great deal of specialized work to be done which they aren't equipped to handle. As a result, they hire other contractors, who, in this arrangement, are subcontractors, to do some of the work. Nonetheless, the general contractor (the one that the landowner hired to do the work) is still accountable for the completion of the project - if a subcontractor causes a problem, the general contractor is on the hook for it. This sometimes leads to landowners suing general contractors for the mistakes of subcontractors. If the general contractor loses, and has to pay the client, the general contractor can then sue the subcontractor for whatever amount of money it had to pay.

Mechanic's Lien: If the contractor wins in a case against the land owner, and the court orders the owner to pay the contractor for services rendered, the contractor needs a way to secure payment, if the owner refuses. In some cases, a mechanic's lien permits the contractor to force the sale of the land, and any improvements to it, in order to secure payment for the services it provided.

Can a Fall River, Massachusetts Attorney Help?

Disputes over construction delays or defects can be extremely taxing. Therefore, getting an efficient Fall River, Massachusetts real estate attorney might mean the difference between success or failure in your business ventures.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Fall River

Fall River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located near Mount Hope Bay and the Tanton River. Interestingly, the city is known for its motto--"We'll Try."

There are many wonderful attractions in Fall River. Such sites include Battleship Cover, Fall River Heritage State Park, The Marine Museum at Fall River, Freetown-Fall River State Forest, New Harbour Mall, Columbia Street, and Old Colony Fal River Railroad Museum.

Many attorneys have established law offices and small firms. Therefore the legal needs of residents can be easily taken care of. For complex legal matters, residents can take advantage of Boston's superior legal force. Boston being 46 miles away, is home to many top tier law firms and ivy-league educated attorneys. Overall, residents need not fear because their legal matters will be taken care of.

Overall, Fall River is a wonderful place to live with a location rich in history and easily accessible to nearby Boston!

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