Chinese Drywall Defense

Wolfe Law Group offers the services to developers, contractors, construction companies, design professionals, mortgage lenders, and other participants in the construction industry who are facing warranty claims, lawsuits, and other legal and business issues derived from the use of imported drywall.

The Problem with “Chinese Drywall”

Chinese Drywall imported into the United States between 2001 and 2008 may be contaminated with sulfuric acid, and the issue is causing legal problems across the country.   The contamination may cause health problems, but it certainly causes problems to HVAC systems, the drywall itself, building framing and more.

The drywall problems are leading to legal problems for suppliers and installers of drywall, who are now getting implicated in huge class action lawsuits in states like Louisiana and Florida.   While the lawsuits have begun…they have only just begun, and no one knows for sure who will and who will not be defendants in these actions.

It’s also unknown whether a contractors’ or suppliers’ insurance policies will cover the losses, as many insurance companies are beginning to lean on its common “pollution exclusions.”

Companies who may have sold or used Chinese Drywall need to be prepared in the event of a lawsuit against them.  Moreover, if they suspect that they may have sold or used Chinese Drywall, the time is now to begin working with their insurance companies.

Wolfe Law Group has kept abreast of the Chinese Drywall situation in Louisiana and Washington through its blog, the Construction Law Monitor.  You can read about our Chinese Drywall coverage, and a little about the concerns for contractors, at the tag: Chinese Drywall.

If your company may have sold or used Chinese Drywall, Wolfe Law Group is available to discuss your legal exposure and your legal options.  Taking a proactive approach to this growing problem is a prudent choice for your company.  If your company has already been implicated in one of these Chinese Drywall lawsuits, our firm is available to defend your position in Court.

How We Charge

Our firm charges in a variety of ways, depending on the complexity and nature of your issue, and your billing preferences.  Here is a summary of billing types available for Chinese Drywall defense actions.

Hourly: We can bill you hourly for work performed on your case.   Attorneys charge $250.00 per hour for work performed, and non-attorneys at our office (paralegals, law clerks, etc.), charge $95.00 per hour.

Contingency: On contingency fee contracts, the client does not pay anything for attorneys fees until the conclusion of the case, and then only if an amount is recovered for the client.   The attorney fees equals a percentage of the amount recovered in the matter, usually between 33% and 40%.   In the case of Chinese Drywall defense,  Wolfe Law Group offers Contingency Fee contracts in limited circumstances when the builder may recover against suppliers, manufacturers and/or insurance policies.

Flat Fees:  On occasion, you may require services that can be offered to clients on a flat fee basis.  Here, certain limited services are provided for a set fee.

Mixed Fees: Mixed fee arrangements are available for Chinese Drywall defense work.   These types of agreements mix hourly, contingency and/or flat fee structures, the mixture depending on the nature and complexity of the issues, and you billing preferences.

Resources:

Press and Information on Chinese Drywall:

Videos:
Chinese Drywall Playlist on Wolfe Law Group’s YouTube page: