Steven B. Lesser, Chair of Becker’s national Construction Law & Litigation practice group was recently quoted in an article about the increasing trend of construction litigation in South Florida, following a wave of demand for new buildings in recent years. The Daily Business Review article reveals many housing and residential projects were rushed, particularly in Miami’s booming market, and now defects are beginning to show. The discovery of defects has also caused a slowdown in other construction projects, leading to a rise in defect litigation.
Lesser tells the Daily Business Review that the rush to get workers on job sites is also a factor. “Because of the tension that exists between the scarcity of skilled workers and qualified laborers, I think that you have projects that are moving along very quickly, without necessarily the quality control,” he said. “It’s very, very hard to get workers in the workplace that are qualified to do this work.”
The worker shortage paired with a desire to cut costs as Florida’s insurance rates skyrocket has brewed a perfect storm that allows for these lawsuits to pop up more often than in previous cycles, Lesser said.
The article references a recent Florida law that changed the statute of limitations for construction defect cases, as also playing a factor in the uptick in litigation.
Steven B. Lesser chairs the firm’s national Construction Law and Litigation practice group. Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar, his practice exclusively focuses on construction law and litigation, including governmental construction claims, defense, and hotel/condominium disputes.