AccuWeather Forensic Experts Help Settle Claim Dispute in Car Wash Roof Collapse
Testimony from AccuWeather expert forensic meteorologist provided expert testimony
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What was the case?
AccuWeather was retained by an attorney representing a Louisiana car wash after an intense thunderstorm moved over the building just outside New Orleans, and there was a sudden, partial collapse of the roof. The business submitted a claim for damages to their insurer, but the claim was denied citing rusted metal joists supporting the roof. The business countered that the underwriters had inspected the car wash as recently as months before the collapse and reported no concerns with the building.
AccuWeather Analysis
Using data from nearby airports and Doppler radar data, AccuWeather's expert forensics meteorolgists reconstructed the details of the intense thunderstorm that struck the car wash location. The rainfall with the storm was between 2 and 2.5 inches in accumulation. A burst of rainfall of this duration at this location occurs, on average, once every one to three years. The instantaneous rainfall rate in the storm reached a peak of about six inches per hour.
There were also reports of hail in the area. A burst of hail for a minute or two would obstruct drainage of water until it melted and the combination of the hail and intense rainfall made the storm much rarer than the return period of one to three years would indicate.
Outcome
AccuWeather Expert Forensic Meteorologist Steve Wistar sat for a three-hour telephone deposition in which the attorney for the insurance company was able to ask questions about his qualifications, basis for his opinion and the opinion itself. After additional discovery by both sides in the case, a settlement was reached.
Why Attorneys and Insurers Use AccuWeather Forensics
AccuWeather forensic meteorologists provide objective weather reconstruction and analysis that helps clarify environmental conditions surrounding disputed events. Using the greatest collection of weather related data available, including publicly available and proprietary data sets, our experts analyze historical weather records, local observation data, snow and ice conditions, precipitation history and temperature trends to support insurance disputes, accident investigations, property damage cases, and other litigation.
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