Maryland Construction Defect Lawyers Obtain $5.6 Million Dollar Jury Verdict for Building Construction Deficiencies
Maryland construction defect lawyers and construction defect litigation attorneys at Cowie Law Group (formerly Cowie & Mott) obtained a $5,629,715.00 jury verdict in a construction defects case against a national builder for the defective construction of a Maryland condominium. A paraphrased excerpt from the The Daily Record Article regarding that construction defect case is set forth below:
ODENTON MARYLAND CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION AWARDED $5.6M DAMAGES IN SUIT AGAINST DEVELOPER RYAN HOMES
An Anne Arundel County Circuit Court jury awarded $5.6 million in damages to a condominium association for faulty construction by Ryan Homes.
Eden Brook Condominium Inc. filed a lawsuit against construction company NVR Inc., the parent company of Ryan Homes, for faulty construction of buildings in the 55-and-older community in Odenton. The condo association also alleged NVR misrepresented the quality of the buildings before and during construction and failed to maintain them.
The condo association said NVR’s improper construction led to leaks, with some homeowners keeping buckets in their condos to catch water. There was also faulty brickwork that did not meet industry standards and cooling problems with undersized air-conditioning units, according to the condominium association’s lawyers, the Cowie Law Group, P.C. (formerly Cowie & Mott).
The jury awarded the Maryland condominium association compensatory damages for construction defect repairs after a five-week trial Monday.
“I think the jury sent a clear signal that a builder will be held accountable,” the Association’s lawyer said. “… I think that’s the message. Normally, our firm is successful in resolving these types of cases before they go to trial. Here, NVR stood its ground and took the position that the problems were not as bad as the homeowners alleged and the jury disagreed with that.”
An attorney for NVR, Neil Joel Dilloff, a partner at DLA Piper LLP (U.S.), said the firm does not comment on litigation.
The condo association said in its complaint that NVR failed to live up its its sales representations and advertising campaigns that construction would follow “applicable building codes” and build units with “impeccable quality.”
Instead, the complaint alleged, the company did not comply with building codes, deviated from plans, used inferior materials and did not meet minimum industry standards, resulting in construction defects throughout the condominium.
These construction defects led to leaking windows, flooding in the units, premature deterioration, structural instability, wood damage, peeling paint, wall and roof structural damage and mold growth, according to the complaint
The condominiums in Odenton were built between 2005 and 2008 and many of the owners bought their homes before or during construction, signing contracts before the condos were complete, The 224-unit development consists of eight buildings.
The first residents moved in during February 2006. The attorneys at the association’s law firm interviewed 26 homeowners about defects in the condominium building and filed a lawsuit in January 2011.
“There were a lot of similarities,” the Association’s lawyer said. “The deficiencies were systemic for the majority.”
MARYLAND CONSTRUCTION ATTORNEYS
1321 Generals Highway, Suite 302, Crownsville, MD 21032 • Telephone: 410-327-3800 • Facsimile: 410-327-3801 • cowielawgroup.com
COWIE LAW GROUP, P.C. is a Maryland construction defect law firm with Maryland construction defect lawyers and construction litigation attorneys practicing construction law in Maryland. Our main law office is located in Crownsville, MD, but the Maryland construction defect lawyers and construction defect attorneys at COWIE LAW GROUP, P.C. are known for handing complex construction defect law claims in solving design defect, improper design drawings , plans and specifications, faulty workmanship and materials, building code violations, deviations from approved plans and specifications, violation of applicable construction industry standards, failure to follow manufacturer’s installation instructions, and other construction defect-related claims throughout the State of Maryland. The experienced Maryland construction defect lawyers and construction defect litigation attorneys of CCOWIE LAW GROUP, P.C. provide legal advice and legal representation to owners, developers, subcontractors, material suppliers, design professionals and construction lenders. As a result of our law firm’s experience in construction defect law matters, we are often called upon to work with and assist local counsel representing clients in neighboring jurisdictions , such as the the State of Delaware the District of Columbia ( Washington D.C.) The Maryland construction defect attorneys and construction litigation lawyers at Cowie Law Group are dedicated to the pursuit of our clients claims. Contact us for a legal consultation and references.
