They are formidable adversaries, but we intend to preserve and build on the gains achieved in recent years. The need to do so is greater than ever in light of these decisions and the anti-reform activities of wealthy plaintiffs lawyers. In 1998, project owners commercial, industrial, and others made up the largest subset of plaintiffs filing claims against design professionals. Claims filed by third parties such as contractors, subcontractors, and equipment suppliers remained fairly constant in 1998, accounting for about a third of the claims that were filed. While such provisions will not shield engineers from third-party claims, they are effective in claims between an engineer and his or her client.
Lawsuits remain an expensive proposition for consulting engineers.
These figures do not account for the number of personnel hours spent handling claims. Crowell believes these numbers accurately reflect what most insurance industry indices have found. By safer, I mean policies that require greater financial contributions from insurance companies in the event of a claim. The most common types are shared-defense cost policies, dollar defense policies, and policies with lower deductibles. Get complete editorial and graphics with your subscription.