Design Professionals (A&E) Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Professional Liability Matters

April 23, 2013 Design Professionals (A&E) / Real Estate Professionals

Up-tick in Housing Market Means Increased Risk

The good news is that April typically marks the busy season for home sales and the housing market continues to gather strength. The bad news is that increased activity may mean additional professional liability risks face architects and engineers, designers, agents, inspectors and all real estate professionals. With all signs suggesting that the housing market is picking up momentum, and that trend is expected to continue, real estate professionals will find themselves with more work but they must proceed with caution.

According to the National …

February 26, 2013 Design Professionals (A&E)

When Negligence = Murder: Building Defects Result in Manslaughter Charges

An architect faces criminal manslaughter charges arising from the death of an LA firefighter who died attempting to control a blaze that engulfed the defendant architect’s multi-million dollar home. This case raises an unprecedented issue: Can defective design lead to criminal liability? Apparently, the answer is “yes” if the defect is the result of gross negligence.

A judge recently ruled that an architect/builder, Gerhard Becker, will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter after the home he designed and built went up in flames killing a …