Microsoft takes JLL to court over costs from Flatiron forklift injury
Microsoft has sued JLL in New York County Supreme Court over legal costs stemming from a forklift accident that badly injured a construction worker at 122 Fifth Avenue. Microsoft says JLL served as project manager and was obligated to indemnify the tenant against buildout-related lawsuits. The companies’ project-management relationship dates to 2012.
Microsoft has filed a lawsuit against JLL in New York County Supreme Court. The dispute concerns legal expenses tied to a forklift incident at 122 Fifth Avenue that left a construction worker seriously hurt. Microsoft contends JLL managed the project and should have shielded the tenant from lawsuits arising from buildout work.
The two firms have worked together on project management since 2012. The case centers on whether that arrangement included an indemnity duty covering the injury-related claims.
The outcome may shape how real estate tenants, project managers, and contractors allocate legal risk in buildout projects. Construction workers and firms could feel indirect effects if indemnity disputes lead to stricter contract terms, higher insurance costs, or more cautious project oversight. Microsoft and JLL, along with others in commercial real estate, may face greater scrutiny over who bears responsibility when jobsite injuries lead to litigation.