Q: Recourse for roof damage repair/replacement on a "duplex", where the other owner apparently has no damage?
My dad lives in Longmont. "Duplex" is probably not the correct term: it is a single building that contains two residences, each owned by a separate person. The area has an HOA. There was a hail storm a few months ago. A roofer and my dad's insurance (State Farm) adjuster confirmed he has roof damage (including a leak apparently caused by the hail backing up near one of the downspouts that is evident inside on the ceiling). They say the other owner has roof damage too; however, his insurance (USAA) adjuster said he does not (not sure if he really said "no damage" or "not enough damage to qualify for a new roof"). State Farm has already processed my dad's claim and sent him $; however, according to my dad, the roofer and State Farm adjuster said there is an ordinance in Longmont that you "can't replace half a roof". So, what recourse does my dad have? For example, does this ordinance itself have any wording to address a situation like this?
A:
You may be better off just having your dad's neighbor go straight to an attorney who specializes in first-party property insurance bad faith claims. That lawyer can get a better idea of the facts of the case and point them in the right direction. Often bad faith insurance litigation firms will work on contingency and give you a free consultation, meaning no money changes hands unless they win your case.
Good luck to you.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
