Consumer Products Manufacturer – Jury Verdict Reversed NJ Construction Dispute Remanded for New Trial

Herrick achieved a significant appellate victory on behalf of a leading consumer products manufacturer in litigation with a general contractor and third-party subcontractors over payment for work done on a multimillion dollar building project in New Jersey.  In a published opinion ordering a new trial, the New Jersey Appellate Division agreed that “the jury instructions and verdict sheet both misstated the applicable legal principals of contract law,” leading to a verdict  in which the contractor was found to have breached its contract with our client yet nonetheless received an award on a services-rendered basis, which only applies in the absence of a binding agreement.  The appellate court further found that the trial court’s flawed instructions prevented the jury from considering our client’s counterclaim for damages incurred as a result of the contractor’s defective work.