Lien Laws In Los Angeles Construction
The construction attorneys practicing at the Los Angeles law firm of Hamrick & Evans LLP are skilled in the practice areas of construction defects and construction lien law. We will enthusiastically represent general contractors in lawsuits involving building materials and/or labor the property owner of your building project has not paid for.
What is a Construction Lien?
When a general contractor, following the contract between himself and the property owner, puts up a building and does not receive payment from the owner for the cost of building materials or labor used to build, he can legally place a lien on the property. Unfortunately, if this does occur, the general contractor is still obligated to pay its subcontractors for their materials and/or labor. They are not allowed to wait until they receive payment before they pay their subcontractors.
The Next Step in Liens
There may be many reasons the owner of the property is unable, or has not paid the general contractor for labor and/or materials. Regardless of those reasons, if you are the contractor stuck with unpaid bills, yet you have a stack of subcontractor invoices you need to pay, you need aggressive steps to remedy this situation.
Speaking with the experienced construction attorneys at Hamrick & Evans will get the legal wheels in motion on your behalf. There are deadlines to file a lien against a property owner so it is imperative that you contact a construction attorney as soon as you determine things are not going well and you may not be getting paid.
After the lien is filed, if the court finds in the contractor’s favor, he will award a judgment lien against the property owner. If you are not the only one the owner needs to pay, state laws will outline who gets paid first.
Because the construction industry includes several parties working together the risk of a problem occurring is just par for the course. Unfortunately, you are not responsible, nor do you have control over how someone else manages their finances or pays their bills. Regardless, if you performed construction work, according to your contract, and you are not getting paid for labor and/or materials, you have options.
The construction lawyers at Hamrick & Evans will assist you in filing a construction lien against a property owner and will fight for payment you are rightfully owed. Call us today for a private consultation to discuss the specifics of your construction case.
