Lawyer Successfully Squeezes Settlement From Insurer For Client's Damage Claim From Unknown Meth Lab

In Loveland, Colorado, the Denver Daily News reports on a story of a local couple who rented out a basement apartment to their son-in-law, only to have their entire home subsequently condemned as a result of contamination caused by the son-in-law's clandestine meth lab operation on the premises. Local officials promptly kicked the couple out of their home because, until the the contamination could be remediated, the premises was deemed uninhabitable.

Reportedly, after having their insurance claim for the damage denied, and after having their case turned down by a number of attorneys unwilling to go after the insurance company, the homeowners found legal counsel willing to take the case and who successfully obtained a satisfactory settlement from the insurer for the meth lab damage.

An excerpt from the story regarding how to handle a meth contamination claim with an insurance company:

• The trick is showing that homeowners had been the victim of mischievous behavior or vandalism — an unknown meth lab would fall under that category, said [Attorney Brett A.] Buccheit [with the Denver-based Frankl Law Firm].

• “The contamination exclusion is solid, you can’t get around it. No amount of fancy lawyering is going to change the words of the policy,” he said. “But if the property is treated in a manner inconsistent with the homeowners’ rights, such as malicious mischief or vandalism, then that is covered.” [...] The [homeowners] say they were able to settle for an amount that paid most of their costs.

For the full story, see Lawyer fixes meth mess (Denver-based Frankl Law Firm aids family with no other options).

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