Construction & Commercial Law Blog

A YouTube video producer popular among fans in Missouri and across the country has filed a counterclaim against a firearms manufacturer that had earlier agreed to sponsor the producer's online work. The video channel's filing claimed that Radian Weapons is in breach of its contract because the company decided that it no longer wanted to bear the costs of video sponsorship. The YouTube producer also claimed that the company actually waged an online campaign against its videos, generating an "excessive" number of thumbs-down or "dislikes" on the producer's work. This campaign disrupted the YouTuber's contracts with other sponsors according to the complaint.

The YouTube video channel focuses on demonstrations of guns or other weapons and, like much online content, partially supports its work through sponsorships and paid advertising from relevant brands. The weapons manufacturer had agreed to pay 3 cents for each view of a specific YouTube video over a 6-month period. After the video producer demanded payment, the company refused, claiming that the video was not posted properly and that the producer did not inform them of YouTube policy changes.

Missouri residents who enjoy hip-hop may be familiar with the music of Cardi B. She is currently in a dispute with WorldStar Marketing Group owned by a man known as Shaft. He claims that the company had an exclusive one-year deal with the rapper with the option to represent her for four more years. According to the lawsuit, Worldwide Marketing was entitled to 20 percent of Cardi B's income.

However, representatives for Cardi B say that she terminated the contract by the end of February 2018 and did so in compliance with a written notice requirement. The singer claims that she was the victim of fraud and a material breach of the contract by Shaft. It was alleged that there were side deals being made by Shaft that led to Cardi B potentially losing money. An attorney for Cardi B claims that she should be entitled to any income lost because of those deals.

The complex nature of many construction disputes in Missouri means that many issues can be costly to resolve and stretch out over a long period of time. Indeed, the average construction dispute across the country can take around 14 months to reach a resolution. Two of the most common issues raised in legal battles over construction projects are errors and omissions and unsubstantiated claims, and building information modeling can play a role in helping to resolve some of these issues.

Many contractors and designers use BIM to plan and envision a project. This type of modeling can save significantly on construction costs by allowing a range of stakeholders in a project to create and manage 3D images of the project throughout its life. Indeed, the use of BIM is mandatory for government contractors in the United Kingdom because the cost savings generated can be so substantial by helping to streamline workflows and identify points of concern.

A Missouri builder could be liable for various types of construction defects. For example, a company may be held responsible for an issue with the design of a home, how it was put together or for lack of oversight while construction occurred. Liability issues can also ensue if there are problems with the home's electrical system, doors or windows.

Even if the home is built properly by skilled professionals, the choice of poor building materials could make a structure unsuitable to live in. For example, if shingles are defective, they might allow water to seep into a home. This can also occur if there are problems with drywall or if windows are not properly flashed. A cracked foundation or wall is generally considered to be a construction defect as opposed to a material defect.