Property Damage *

In General

“A man’s home is his castle”, the old saying goes.  When a person’s property is damaged by faulty construction, shoddy workmanship, or environmental problems, there is often nowhere to go.  The client is “stuck” staying in the house or at the business building.  The statute of limitations for breach of contract is generally 6 years; the statute of limitations for personal injury is generally 3 years.  There are exceptions depending on the facts of each different type of case.

Contractor Builds Foundation Below Water Table: $475,000 settlement

The foundation of a new home had a permanent water leak.  We discovered the foundation was installed below the water table on the site.  The key to this case was establishing that the contractor knew about the problem in advance, and lied to cover up his error.

Explosion after Furnace Repair and Propane Delivery:  $165,000 verdict

The client’s home was destroyed in a gas explosion.  We established a faulty furnace valve had been installed recently, and we also learned that the gas company had not checked the system before attempting to re-ignite the furnace.   The key to this case was obtaining damages despite the fact the house insurance valued the dwelling at less than $60,000.

Property Insurance Denied: $825,000 partial settlement

Fortunately, no one was injured when the client’s home burned down.  Unfortunately, the insurance company refused to pay the property damage bill, until our investigation proved the cause and origin of the fire.  The case is still pending, after the $825,000 partial settlement.  Punitive damages against the insurer are now being litigated under “bad faith” law.

* These property loss cases are chosen from many more, to illustrate some of the variety of the issues we have dealt with.