John R. Clifford

California Court Holds Broker Has No Duty to Advise Additional OCIP Insured of Carrier’s Insolvency
John R. Clifford,Edward P. Garson,Ian A. Stewart, March 6, 2012
In Pacific Rim Mechanical Contractors, Inc. v. Aon Risk Insurance Services West, Inc., 12 C.D.O.S. 2471 (February 28, 2012), a case of first impression, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, held that an insurance broker, after procuring a policy of insurance for a developer on a...

Subcontractors’ Revolt Takes Hold in California: New Law Bans Indemnity for Active Negligence in Construction Contracts
John R. Clifford,Edward P. Garson,Ian A. Stewart, October 11, 2011
Construction contracts that purport to insure or indemnify for the active negligence or willful misconduct of the promisee are void and unenforceable as against public policy.

California Supreme Court Limits Recovery by Injured Workers: The Duty to Provide a Safe Workplace Under Cal-OSHA is Presumed to be Delegated to the Subcontractor
John R. Clifford,Edward P. Garson,Carey B. Moorehead,Michael A. Walker, August 29, 2011
On August 22, 2011, the California Supreme Court, in a 6-1 opinion, made claims by injured workers against general contractors more difficult. The Court held that the hirer of an independent contractor presumably delegates to the contractor “any tort law duty it owes to the contractor’s...