National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh v. Wadsworth Golf Construction Co. of Midwest

This case involved a dispute over payment on a construction project. National Union Fire Insurance and other surety companies provided payment bonds to guarantee that workers and subcontractors would be paid on a Clark Construction Group project. When Wadsworth Golf Construction wasn't paid for work they performed, they filed a claim against these payment bonds to get their money. The insurance companies (sureties) failed to respond to Wadsworth's payment bond claim within the required 45-day deadline specified in the bond agreement. Because they missed this deadline, they lost their right to defend against the claim. The court ruled in favor of Wadsworth, affirming that the insurance companies had to pay because they forfeited their defenses by not responding on time. The court granted summary judgment, meaning Wadsworth won without needing a full trial. **Why this matters for workers:** Payment bonds are important protections that help ensure construction workers and subcontractors get paid even if the main contractor can't pay. This ruling shows that bond companies must follow strict deadlines when responding to payment claims, which strengthens these protections for workers in the construction industry.