Roof Repair Claim & Cover-Up
Case Summary: A homeowner submitted a claim for wind and/or hail damage to a property structure.
Expert Analysis: Visual observations, combined with professional expertise in the causation of failures related to wear, tear and constitution deficiencies, determined that the roof was not damaged by severe weather on or around the time of the owner’s claim. The claimed ceiling stains in the living room and office of the structure were repaired prior to the expert’s visit, so it could not be confirmed that the owner’s account of the damage was accurate. Regardless, any leak at these locations is typically the result of moisture intrusion through aged and deteriorated roofing materials. The described leaking significantly predated the claim and multiple attempts were made to repair it in the past.
Previous repairs on the roof and in the attic, combined with historical weather records and building code research, determined there were no design-level weather events that could damage the roof due to building code non-compliant techniques and design. Aerial photo investigations were also used to find previous repairs years prior to the date of the claim.
Result: The case settled.
