A Bedford insurance adjuster that helped a client win $7 million has sued to gets its share of the settlement.
G.S. Adjustment Co. claims that 21 Park Place NY LP owes $490,000 for its services, in a lawsuit filed Oct. 8 in Westchester Supreme Court.
The lawsuit does not say what led to the settlement, but the timing suggests that it has something to do with the collapse of a 5-story building at 21 Park Place in Tribeca, Manhattan, owned by the namesake company.
G.S. Adjustment, a firm that evaluates property damages and negotiates insurance claims for policy holders, was hired in December 2018, five days after the building collapsed.
Partner Tom Grainger of 21 Park was redeveloping the property as a 14-story hotel. Workers were doing interior work, according to news accounts, when the roof collapsed and all five floors pancaked, leaving only two exterior walls. No one was injured.
Two months before the collapse, 21 Park had sued 15 construction, engineering and architectural companies for $10 million, claiming they had caused structural damage to the 21 Park Place building when they demolished a structure next door and built a 21-story condominium building.
The lawsuit is pending.
After the collapse, two neighboring property owners sued 21 Park, arguing that its work was negligent. Those lawsuits also are pending.
G.S. Adjustment, according to its complaint, had negotiated a fee of 10% on the first $1 million, 7% on the remaining payment and expenses. Its share of the $7 million settlement and expenses totaled $590,000, but 21 Park has allegedly paid only $100,000.
G.S. Adjustment accused 21 Park of breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
Barry J. Friedberg, a Manhattan attorney who represents 21 Park in its 2018 lawsuit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the G.S. Adjustment allegations.
G.S. Adjustment is represented by Manhattan attorney Matthew S. Aboulafia.
