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Statutes of Limitation and Repose in Construction Defect Cases

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Statutes of Limitation and Repose in Construction Defect Cases We are a full-service Civil Litigation Defense firm serving Western/Central Pennsylvania and West Virginia September 2016 The Gulf Tower 14th Floor 707 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Telephone: 412-258-2255 Fax: 412-263-5632 www.walshlegal.net Walsh, Barnes, Collis & Zumpella, P.C. represents insurance carriers, their insureds, and corporations in actions encompassing the entire civil litigation spectrum. We provide defense of wrongful death and personal injury claims in addition to property losses resulting from: • Automobile and Tractor Trailer Accidents • Catastrophic Fire Losses Statutes of Limitation and Repose • Construction Accidents in Construction Defect Cases • Employment Practices Liability The affirmative defenses 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated • Executive Liability of the statute of limitations and Statutes. • Insurance Coverage the statute of repose are two (2) A statute of repose is a statute • Premises Liability powerful defenses a defendant barring any suit that is brought after in a construction defect case may a specified time since the defendant • Product Liability assert. Although the successful acted, even if this period ends • Professional Liability assertion of both of these defenses before the plaintiff has suffered a may result in an early dismissal of resulting injury. A statute of repose IN THIS ISSUE: a lawsuit, these defenses are quite begins to run upon the completion Statutes of Limitation and Repose different in both theory and practical of certain conduct by a party. Graver in Construction Defect Cases ................... Page 1 application. v. Foster Wheeler Corp., 96 A.3d Workers’ Compensation Immunity Generally, a statute of limitation 383 (Pa.Super. 2014). Because is Broad, But… ........................................ Page 3 sets a maximum time period during a statute of repose focuses solely U.S. Supreme Court Expands Statute of which a certain action can be brought on a defendant’s actions, it may Limitation Periods in Federal Employment Case Law ............................. Page 4 or a certain right enforced. A statute potentially bar a plaintiff’s suit before of limitation is an affirmative defense the cause of action arises. Like Threshold Issues in Public Employee First Amendment Retaliation Claims ...... Page 5 that must be pleaded in a responsive a statute of limitation, a statute of pleading under the heading repose is as an affirmative defense. Trends in Attendance at IME Examinations by Third Parties ................ Page 6 “New Matter.” Pa.R.C.P. 1030. Although statutes of limitation Announcements/Results .......................... Page 7 Pennsylvania statutory law provides and statutes of repose are similar for numerous statutes of limitations, in that they are affirmative defenses Top Ten Legal Movies .............................. Page 8 which are generally codified in Title (Continued on page 2) 1 Statutes of Limitation and Repose in Construction Defect Cases (Continued) that establish the time in which a plaintiff must bring a This statute of repose provides an exception: cause of action, the similarities end there. Statutes of (1) If an injury or wrongful death shall occur more limitation are a form of procedural law that bar recovery than 10 and within 12 years after completion of on an otherwise viable cause of action. On the other the improvement, a civil action or proceeding hand, statutes of repose operate as substantive law within the scope of subsection (a) may be by extinguishing a cause of action outright. Graver, commenced within the time otherwise limited supra. Although a statute of limitation may be tolled by this subchapter, but not later than 14 by a plaintiff’s failure to discover the legal injury, a years after completion of construction of such statute of repose generally will not be tolled under any improvement. circumstances, including a plaintiff’s failure to discover an injury. 42 Pa.C.S.A. §5536(b)(1). Thus, although it is Moreover, unlike a statute of limitation, a statute of commonly regarded that construction claims are barred if repose is not waived if a litigant fails to plead it as an commenced later than 12 years, the foregoing exception affirmative defense as it is a non-waivable legislative permits a claim to be brought within 14 years after the enactment. Mitchell v. United Elevator Co., Inc., 434 completion of the construction of the improvement. A.2d 1243, 1249 (Pa.Super. 1981). Therefore, it may There are four (4) common statutes of limitation be properly raised at any point in the litigation, including applicable to construction defect cases. First and through a motion for non-suit, directed verdict, or most commonly, is the four (4) year limitation period judgment notwithstanding the verdict. Id. (citations for contract-related actions, including warranty claims, omitted). as most construction cases arise out of a contractual undertaking between two or more parties. 42 Pa.C.S. Common Statutes of Repose and Limitations in §5525. This statute of limitation also applies to claims Construction Defect Cases for implied warranty of reasonable workmanship, One such statute of repose relates to quasi-contract, and quantum meruit. improvements to real property, which provides: Second, a two (2) year limitation applies to any §5536. Construction Projects action based upon “negligent, intentional or otherwise (a) General Rule--except as provided in subsection tortious conduct,” including deceit or fraud. 42 Pa.C.S. (b), a civil action or proceeding brought against any §5524. In addition to the garden variety action for person lawfully performing or furnishing the design, negligent construction, this limitation period governs an planning, supervision, or observation of construction, action by a contractor for negligent misrepresentation or construction of any improvement to real property against a design professional for errors or omissions must be commenced within 12 years after completion in a project design. Section 552 of the Restatement of construction of such improvement to recover (Second) of Torts; Bilt-Rite Contractors, Inc. v. The damages for: Architectural Studio, 866 A.2d 270 (Pa. 2005). Third, there is a six (6) year statute of limitation (1) Any deficiency in the design, planning, that applies to actions not specifically addressed by supervision or observation of construction or any other limitation period. 42 Pa.C.S. §5527. The construction of the improvement. most common claim is for violations of Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practice and Consumer Protection Law are (2) Injury to property, real or personal, arising out commonly asserted in construction defect cases based of any such deficiency. upon deceptive conduct or misrepresentations relative (3) Injury to the person or for wrongful death arising to the work to be performed or the quality of the work. out of any such deficiency. Finally, a one (1) year limitation period governs actions based upon a payment or performance (4) Contribution or indemnity for damages construction bond. 42 Pa.C.S. §5523. sustained on account of any injury mentioned Statutes of repose and statutes of limitations can in paragraph (2) or (3) be effective affirmative defenses in construction defect 42 Pa.C.S.A. §5536(a) (emphasis added). It is lawsuits. Each should be identified early in a lawsuit important to note, the period to commence a claim is to ensure the defense is asserted the answer and calculated not from the time of the defendant’s conduct evidence to support a motion for summary judgment necessarily, but rather from the completion of the is properly developed through written discovery and construction of the improvement. witness depositions. 2 Workers’ Compensation Immunity is Broad, But… The workers’ compensation immunity of the arranged for evaluation at a psychiatric center, employer is broad, and that immunity extends to the which led to the employee being treated with electro workers’ compensation insurance carrier and third party convulsive therapy (ECT). The ECT exacerbated the administrator (“TPA”). But the immunity is not absolute, employee’s underlying post-traumatic stress disorder and in some circumstances the carrier or TPA can be (caused initially by service during the Vietnam war), and sued civilly for claims adjusting missteps. In a recent he eventually learned the treatment was inappropriate decision (Charlton v. PMA Insurance Group, 2015 WL for his conditions. He filed a civil suit against the nurse, 6870724 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015), appeal denied, ___ the physicians and psychiatric clinic which oversaw the A.3d ___ (Pa. 2016)), the Superior Court allowed such treatment, and Wausau. As to Wausau and the nurse, a lawsuit against a carrier and claims representative. the employee claimed they were negligent in directing The decision is and coordinating his unpublished, and therefore Where a claim is not “ultimately” medical care. The Superior lacks precedential value. Court held the civil suit However, the Charlton based on compensation injury, could proceed, determining decision tracks an earlier the injury claimed did not opinion to the same effect. immunity is not available. arise from the work-related Taras v. Wausau Ins. Cos., injury. 602 A.2d 882 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). The Charlton case In Charlton, the employee was injured at work in is a worthy reminder of the limits of immunity. 1986 and experienced both physical and psychological In Taras, the employee was injured in a work- injuries. The carrier paid for the employee’s medical related auto accident.
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