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Litigation
Structural and Architectural Services
Weir/Andrewson Associates
(W/A) performs comprehensive forensic investigations and analyses to
assist in dispute settlements. in addition to expert advice on code
compliance, and various other types of technical analysis, experts at
Weir/Andrewson Associates
provide a wide variety of clients with litigation support services.
W/A
has extensive experience investigating design and construction deficiencies.
Services offered range from informal assessments to thorough destructive
investigations and preparation of comprehensive reports. Evaluation of
the structural integrity and safety of a building is also provided, including
conformance with the original construction plans and specifications,
applicable building codes and industry standards. Investigations include
the location and identification of construction deficiencies, analysis of the
impact of defects on the performance or safety of the structure,
recommendation of solutions, preparation of estimates of the cost of repair
and identification of responsible parties. Solutions for the resolution
of construction deficiencies are the primary focus of the reports developed
from the observations of these investigations.
Expert Witness
Weir/Andrewson Associates
uses its vast experience in construction and design, together
with years of forensic experience, to provide attorneys and
their clients the means to develop successful case strategies for
trial or alternative dispute resolutions. Our expert witness
investigations also help our clients make the best presentation of
their cases by developing relevant evidence, opinions, testimony,
visual aids, and other presentation elements.
Certificate of Merit Consulting
Weir/Andrewson Associates
assists attorneys who must meet the legal requirements for a professional opinion on the merits of the
potential claim in lawsuits filed against architectural design
professionals.
Consulting and Expert Reports
Weir/Andrewson Associates prepares investigation reports for various issues,
including design and/or construction documents, to support our clients
in legal disputes. We work closely with specialty consultants,
such as environmental, roofing, and waterproofing experts,
coordinating their work with our own analyses. Weir/Andrewson
Associates is experienced in
writing plaintiff claims and defense response reports.
Pre-claim and Claim Analysis
Weir/Andrewson Associates
investigates construction defect and design conditions to assess
the validity, extent, and severity of the claims. Establishing the
relationship of defects to the project timeline is crucial to this
analysis, since small changes made at the end of a project can be
equivalent to significant changes made earlier.
Weir/Andrewson Associates
often conducts
visual and intrusive testing prior to claim analysis; these tests can
validate the claim and uncover previously hidden defects or damage.
Standard of Care Analysis and Testimony
Weir/Andrewson Associates
provides expert witness services in cases regarding architectural
and engineering negligence or malpractice. In this capacity,
Weir/Andrewson Associates
assesses whether the architects or engineers of the case project performed to the
expected level of Standard of Care at the time they provided their
services. This judgment requires knowledge and understanding of
our professional practices and standards through time.
Contract Analysis
Given the increasing complexity of contracts and project delivery
systems, a clear understanding of these project foundations is crucial
to settling disputes.
Weir/Andrewson Associates
interprets owner-architect and
owner-contractor agreements; as architects, we can provide a
professional opinion on whether the parties have met their obligations
as stated in the contract. Our contract analysis experience includes
contract fees, construction costs, schedules, change orders, requests
for information, requests for proposals, and value engineering. When
necessary,
Weir/Andrewson Associates
works closely with specialty consultants who provide
expertise in cost estimating, scheduling, general contracting,
engineering, or other relevant areas.
Code Compliance
Building Code and ADA Compliance Analysis
W/A's in-depth experience with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), as well as with fire and life-safety codes (particularly the
California Building Code and the San Francisco Building Code) ensures
that we can provide first-rate litigation and consultation support to
other design consultants. W/A is also experienced in interpreting the
requirements set by the Office of State Health Planning and
Development, the California State Architect, and California's new
residential construction defect law (Senate Bill 800).
Design and Construction Defect Analysis
W/A analyzes defects in designs, construction documents, and
constructed buildings to determine how they may have contributed to
damage. Our analysis draws upon a thorough working knowledge of
prevailing practices and standards of care in the design and
construction industries as well as comprehensive knowledge of
life-safety and fire codes.
Technical Analysis
Failure Investigation and Analysis (Intrusive and Non-intrusive
Investigations)
Settling a claim often requires more than simply identifying what went
wrong, whether the project is a single-family home or a high-rise
office tower. Weir/Andrewson Associates experts determine the direct causes of building failure or
damage and provides opinions on the underlying problems. For example,
a water leak might be caused by a product (roofing material, say)
and/or a system (roofing on rigid insulation), and the underlying
problem might be a defective system, defective component product, or
improper installation. If necessary, Weir/Andrewson Associates staff work with testing labs and
other specialty consultants to establish the cause of product failures
and/or conformance to industry standards. Weir/Andrewson Associates can,
in turn, produce plans
for remediation, including on-site observation of repair work.
Injury Cause Analysis and Claims
Weir/ Andrewson Associates can assist clients and their legal teams in settling personal injury claims by helping to identify
conditions that contributed to the injury. We review the broader
construction issues, including code compliance, to render an opinion
on the appropriate assignment of liability.
Courtroom Presentations
Whether your
presentation is for a one-hour bench hearing or a three-month jury trial, it
must be seamless. W/A will help you plan all necessary equipment layout from
depositions to the courtroom. We make sure you have equipment that works, and
a courtroom technician who knows how to work it and how to act in harmony with
the expert testifying. We employ all of the most popular trial presentation
software applications. We understand the urgency and stress of a courtroom
appearance. You can count on Weir/Andrewson’s our staff to be there to
support you when it counts.
Trial
Graphics and Support
With its state of the art equipment Weir/Andrewson Associates provides a wide variety of visual presentation tools and services,
including:
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Concept and theme development
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Exhibit planning
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Trial support
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Demonstrative exhibits
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Court boards
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and 3D animation
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Diagrams and illustrations
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Maps and timelines
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Model building
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Photography
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Document and photograph scanning
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Video production
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