Using a Santa Monica Construction Defect Lawyer for your Benefit
If you live in Western Los Angeles, and you have faulty building issues with your home or apartment -which may be due to negligence in the construction of your property – it is in your best interests to speak directly to a construction defect lawyer in Santa Monica.
Throughout Las Vegas and California there are many legal firms advertising their services for people who have suffered property damage, or seen the value of their home deteriorate due to a construction defect. However the building codes in Santa Monica are amended at regular intervals and law firms outside of the area may not have the historic knowledge of the ordinances that were in force at the time your property was constructed.
As compensation for faulty building issues is awarded according to the building codes, residential codes and special provisions for hillside buildings when your home or apartment was built, speaking with a local Santa Monica construction defect lawyer could make the difference between your claim for compensation being successful or not.
The Laws Relating to Construction Defects in Santa Monica
The laws relating to construction defects in Santa Monica are based on the Californian Code and updated every three to four years to account for the unique requirements of the city and its citizens – for example protection against wind damage is given higher priority than in neighboring localities.
The procedures for claiming compensation for faulty building issues are the same in Santa Monica as they are throughout the rest of the state, and follow those listed in the “Right to Repair Act” (SB 800) or the “Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act” (the “Calderon Process”) depending on whether you are claiming compensation as an individual homeowner or as a member of a Property Owners Association.
The laws relating to construction defect in Santa Monica for individual homeowners stipulate a set process before claims for compensation can be made. The process involves organizing an independent inspection of the property damage, submitting a written complaint to the builder or property develop and then waiting to see if an acceptable offer of repair is received. The process can take up to 300 days before litigation can commence – during which time you may have to pay for repairs on your home from your own pocket to ensure its habitability.
The process for owners in an apartment or condo complex is considerably more complicated as the faulty building issues may affect owners in different ways – for example if an owner or their child is more susceptible to health issues. Property Owners Associations must attempt to resolve their issues within 180 days before commencing litigation and therefore the procedures for claiming compensation for faulty building issues must be completed far more quickly.
Claiming Compensation for Faulty Building Issues in Santa Monica
If your property has been damaged due to a construction defect or has lost some of its value – or if you or a child has suffered a personal injury due to a fault in construction – you may be entitled to recover compensation for a faulty building issue against the developer or builder of your property, the manufacturer of a faulty component in the building or the company that supplied the construction materials.
Subject to the nature of the damage and its cause, a construction defect lawyer in Santa Monica will be able to advise you on the most appropriate route to recover compensation for a faulty building issue. Your claims success will depend on a number of factors – most often the report on an independent construction defects expert, whether there is an insurance policy against which you can make a claim, and whether or not your claim falls within the appropriate Statute of Limitations.
It is best that you speak with a Santa Monica construction defect lawyer before engaging the services of an expert to assess the damage to your property, for not only has the expert have to be familiar with the laws relating to construction defects in Santa Monica, he or she also has to be an expert witness in order to present the facts of your case should it go to court.
The issue regarding insurance coverage is that insurance companies often write exclusions into their policies to account for construction defects that may not have been “reasonably” foreseeable at the time the construction of your property was in progress. Insurance policies usually have a “time on risk”, which may limit your ability to recover compensation from the builder´s insurer, while other time limits apply to:
Claims for noise transmission and faulty irrigation systems – one year
Claims for wooden framing and defective wood posts – two years
Claims for faulty steel fences and other exterior metalwork – four years
Claims for negligent painting (subject to normal wear and tear) – five years
According to the laws relating to construction defects in Santa Monica, you have ten years in which to claim compensation for faulty building issues which fall outside of these categories, but it is always recommended that you discuss the laws relating to construction defects in Santa Monica with a construction defect lawyer to make sure you receive the most up-to-date information.
Speak with a Construction Defect Lawyer in Santa Monica
A Santa Monica construction defect lawyer will be able to determine whether you have a claim for compensation which is worth your while to pursue and, in this respect we have we have set up a claims assessment helpline which you are invited to call and speak directly with a construction defect lawyer in Santa Monica.
Our claims assessment helpline will provide you with practical legal advice from a local source about claiming compensation for faulty building issues and whether you are eligible for compensation under laws relating to construction defects in Santa Monica.
Irrespective of whether you are seeking legal advice on your own behalf, or looking for information on behalf of a Property Owners Association, our construction defect lawyer in Santa Monica will be able to assist you through the complexity of claiming compensation for faulty building issues in Santa Monica.
Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content of the above article has been written as a guide to claiming compensation for construction defects in Santa Monica. It is not intended to represent the legal advice that would be offered by a construction defect lawyer in Santa Monica, and nothing in this article should be considered as constituting a relationship between a plaintiff and a lawyer. Always seek independent legal advice about the laws relating to construction defects in Santa Monica from a construction defect lawyer.