Florida highway contract dispute results in court ruling

Many industries in Florida, from construction to communication, require a lot of different people and parts working together. Big projects can make responsibility for different segments difficult to track and agree upon, so companies and contractors often rely on preset agreements to dictate how they work together.

Contracts make it easier to establish who is responsible for what and when, as well as the standards that all parties may expect from each other’s work. Although contract disputes are often unpleasant, they can be more easily dealt with by legal representatives than dealing with the potential losses due to nonpayment.

A company contracting with a Florida transportation authority recently won a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and wrongful termination in their joint venture. The court ruled that the company received inaccurate projections of customers’ use of their toll system and the contract was unfairly ended when the company attempted to increase its fee.

The transportation authority argued that the performance-based contract required a compliant toll collection system that the firm never provided. The court did not find that the firm was not allowed to properly test their product before it was deployed, so the authority’s cancellation of the contract was done in bad faith.

The dispute is likely to continue, although this ruling solidifies the plaintiff’s position on the contract. The right attorney can help parties to a contract defend their interests and make sure they receive appropriate compensation for their agreed work. No person or company should have to go through such disputes alone, and few can afford to lose them.

Source: Engineering News Record, “Florida Toll-Road Agency v. Contractor Battle Heads for Next Court,” Debra K. Rubin, Feb. 07, 2018