Blackstone Building owners file lawsuit over damage from City Hall implosion

[thelakelander]

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/blackstone-building-owners-file-lawsuit-over-damage-from-city-hall-implosion

[Peter Griffin]

Good, I hope they win their lawsuit by a landslide. The demolition was needless, and the demo company should have known much better than to leave a glass facade unprotected while bringing down a 10+ story building.

At least the grass lot can't cause any damage to adjacent properties now. /s

[bl8jaxnative]

Could this end up costing the city anything more?

[Chris Carson]

Could this end up costing the city anything more?

We are former owners in Blackstone (just sold our space last month) and my understanding is that there was a specific subcontractor that dropped the ball which resulted in the damage. The suit is directed at that sub and presumably their insurance. Contractors dealing with ordnance typically have very good coverage.

As an aside, my personal office lost a window to the implosion. There was shrapnel sitting on my desk that Monday morning. Glad we didn't sneak into the building to watch the demo up close. 

[Kerry]

Why does stuff like this require a lawsuit?  Did the City refuse to take responsibility?

[Steve]

Why does stuff like this require a lawsuit?  Did the City refuse to take responsibility?

It’s not COJ. It’s the contractor.

[Kerry]

Why does stuff like this require a lawsuit?  Did the City refuse to take responsibility?

It’s not COJ. It’s the contractor.

Same question still.  Is the contractor not accepting responsibility?  I mean, if there are parts of the building on your couch and a hole in your window it doesn't take a lawsuit to figure that out.

[Lostwave]

I bet the contractor did accept responsibility and forwarded it to their insurance.  To get insurance to pay, you need a law suit.  If you just call the contractors insurance they will say they aren't liable due to bla bla bla.  I wouldn't be surprised if they did call the insurance and were told some excuse, so they filed a law suit.  I am sure you have dealt with insurance before and know this.

[Kerry]

My only experience with insurance claims are home and auto issues.  Each time the insurance company showed up and said - yep, here is check.

[Steve]

My only experience with insurance claims are home and auto issues.  Each time the insurance company showed up and said - yep, here is check.

You have been extremely lucky then.

While I've never had to go to court, I did have to get an attorney once to get an insurance company to pay something that was in black and white in my policy. I got it (because, well, the insurance company couldn't argue with their own policy document), but it was a giant pain and it did involve a letter from an attorney on their letterhead.

[Lostwave]

In Seattle a long time ago they were doing road construction on the highway and there was a section where they ground down the pavement a couple of inches to repave.  There were no signs or anything and no transition like they usually do, just a 2+ inch dropoff down and back up.  I hit it at 65 mph and bent all 4 of my rims.  Total cost $3500.  I called the DOT and they said  yep, they screwed up and forwarded me to their insurance.  Their insurance said it was my fault and if I wanted to get paid I needed to sue them.  It wasn't worth it so I didn't.  But thats how insurance works. 

Another time I had a car fire.  Totaled.  Car was a 1972 monte carlo.  Worth between 5k and 30k.  Mine was in great shape, but needed paint, but worth at least 5k.  Insurance found what they said was a comparable car (on blocks, no engine, doors, nor interior) for $500.  Not event close.  So they said they were going to cut me a check for $500.  I started law suit proceedings and they quickly cut me a check for $4k.  They are assholes.