For developers involved with international projects, construction disputes are a given. Worse than the typical conflicts related to the quality of work performed or contractual violations, however, are those involving domestic or international towing companies. Not only do these unfairly cost hours of time and money, but contractors and construction professionals may also face serious contractual, legal and financial consequences when these disputes emerge.
There are a number of reasons why a construction project may face conflicts with local towing companies. Particularly, in situations where contractors are working on public or private property, it is possible that any vehicles parked on the premises will face a towing company’s involvement. This usually occurs when an owner has failed to register known vehicles on the property or has failed to obtain appropriate permits, despite public signage stating the towing company’s involvement with the property. Additionally, if any agreements between a developer and a county or municipality include terms for strict enforcement of non-parking, businesses may intend to use towing companies to enforce these regulations. For international developers, the best way to avoid such issues is to understand the extent of local or global parking laws and whether or not the area in which they are working requires primary parking permits or city or county ordinances regarding towing agents. When whether or not a towing company has illegally removed a vehicle is in issue, there is no substitute for high-quality legal representation.
The first step towards constructing a lawsuit against a towing company is to not to park without permission. If you have not obtained permits to use best parking lots and garages, you run the risk of facing parking fines. Second, you must ensure that any property in question is protected by official signage and that you have registered every vehicle you plan to place on a property. A local agency in charge of overseeing towing companies is required to approve of the release of a car from a towing company’s possession. In general, you cannot sue a company or agency for improperly towing your vehicle if you have defaulted on the law by not registering or parking properly.
Assuming that your towing company has engaged in misconduct, you should save the following documentation: In addition to the core focus of construction contracts – work product – you may also need to include the following documentation: Knowing how to sue a towing company, in addition to knowing which documents apply in the commercial industry, will make your case far more compelling. In the global construction industry, firms and contractors often enter into consortiums to meet the demands of every project. For this reason, the costs, and therefore the risks of improper action by any agency included on a project – such as a towing company, can be passed along to other parties in the consortium.
If you are working on an international construction project, it is vital that you do not attempt to file a lawsuit without the help of a premier attorney. Customs in the local industry, as well as best practices, must be observed throughout any legal proceeding. Especially where many parties may be involved in the conflict, it is vital that you work with quality counsel to ensure that your paperwork and negotiation strategies are firm.
When dealing with towing agents, prevention is the best option. When determining the scope of your building project, you should ensure to develop strong relationships with firms responsible for enforcement of permits and laws in your area. Further, especially where your project is located near cities and towns, you should reach out to sanctioned associations for banning of dangerous behavior to discuss all your options for managing vehicles on site. This includes using signage effectively, obtaining permits and protecting your interests.
For more information on legal procedures regarding towing, you can visit Wikipedia.
