Edward H. Cross Esq., The Restoration Lawyer

Ed Cross, “The Restoration Lawyer,” represents restorers nationwide from offices in Palm Desert, California and Honolulu, Hawaii. His firm drafts restoration contracts, collects money for restorers and represents them in litigation. He is the Restoration Contractor Advocate for the Restoration Industry Association. He can be reached at (760) 773-4002 or by email at Ed@EdCross.com. For information about how to document a file to accelerate collections, visit EdCross.com/collections.

The “Contract Wars” – Part II

Beware of special laws for residential contracts

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer" Julie B. Isen Esq.

December 2, 2013

No Comments

As discussed in Part I of this series, which appeared in the October issue of R&R, a contract is an agreement voluntarily entered into by two or more parties with the intention of creating a legal obligation. Moving on from the basics, here we will discuss home improvement laws and the most important legal provisions for any restoration contract.

Unprepared Restoration Contractor is Dealt Devastating Blow at Trial

Litigating restoration cases can be a minefield for the inexperienced

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer"

November 1, 2013

No Comments

On September 4, 2013, the mock trial of Moore v. Heatman went forward at “Cross-Examination: The Live Courtroom Experience” at The Experience Convention in Las Vegas, with the Honorable Judge James Dread (played by Jim Holland) presiding.

Toxic Mold Litigation: 2013 Update (Part II)

Science is, oddly enough, not always an exact science. And science changes over time

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer" Julie B. Isen Esq.

September 3, 2013

No Comments

In Part II, we’ll examine how a jury will react to mold claims in a court of law as well as how to handle such a situation if going to court is unavoidable.

Toxic Mold Litigation: 2013 Update (Part I)

Mold lawsuits remain plentiful and large recoveries still occur, although they have not wielded the devastation to the restoration industry that many had feared

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer" Julie B. Isen Esq.

August 7, 2013

No Comments

Customer calls you to dry the structure and fix the leak. While you’re working, you happen to miss some water that has found its way down to the baseboard. Whoops.

cross stock photo man breaking piggy bank

Making Mortgage Companies Work With You (And Beating the Money Out of Them if They Don’t)

No matter your relationship with the homeowner, the adjuster or the insurance company, your relationship with the mortgage company is likely to be a competition of adverse interests

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer" Julie B. Isen Esq.

July 8, 2013

One Comment

No matter your relationship with the homeowner, the adjuster or the insurance company, your relationship with the mortgage company is likely to be a competition of adverse interests, but try to keep it from becoming personally hostile.

Shadows standing in front of white background

50 Months for Fraudulent Overbilling: Breaking Down the Michael Griggs Case

The case filed against Griggs and other DRI employees in 2008 included 60 counts.

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer"

May 14, 2013

No Comments

Guilty by suspicion. No, it’s not just a Robert DeNiro movie from 1991. In fact, when it involves your business and the insurance industry, it can lead to a whole lot of trouble.

ThermaPure Litigation Report

ThermaPure has many patents, but most or all of the litigation was based on the 812 patent

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer"

March 14, 2013

No Comments

The lawsuits filed by ThermaPure, Inc. were the biggest legal news to hit the restoration industry since Melinda Ballard was awarded $32 million from a Texas court in 2001.

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer"

January 28, 2013

No Comments

To prevail in a civil case, a plaintiff must generally prove three things: liability, causation and damages.

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer"

January 22, 2009

No Comments

In “Will Your Contracts Be Used Against You? Gosh, I Hope Not!” in the fall 2008 issue of R&R, I explained that many restorers continue to use inadequate contracts.

Will Your Contracts Be Used Against You? Gosh, I Hope Not!

Edward H. Cross Esq., "The Restoration Lawyer"

September 24, 2008

No Comments

Despite the vast history of litigation aimed at the restoration industry, many restorers continue to use inadequate contracts. In fact, some are not contracts at all, such as archaic “Work Authorizations” which do no more than grant permission to perform work while obligating the customer to absolutely nothing.