Kesling v. American Family Mutual Insurance

861 F. Supp. 2d 1274, 2012 WL 975881, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38857
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedMarch 22, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 10-cv-01441-RBJ-CBS
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 861 F. Supp. 2d 1274 (Kesling v. American Family Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kesling v. American Family Mutual Insurance, 861 F. Supp. 2d 1274, 2012 WL 975881, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38857 (D. Colo. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER on PENDING MOTIONS

R. BROOKE JACKSON, District Judge.

This order resolves all motions pending on this date.

Facts

On July 17, 2007 Jack and Michelle Kesling purchased a home located in Douglas County, Colorado from Stephen and Janet Dulaney. On September 19, 2007 the Keslings purchased a “Gold Star Special Deluxe Form” homeowner’s insurance policy from American Family. They have renewed the policy annually since that time.

Construction Defect Litigation

In June 2008 the Keslings began to discover problems with the main deck of their home. After an initial exchange of emails, Mr. Kesling sent a detailed summary of the problems to the Dulaneys on August 20, 2008 in which he described “massive cracking, lifting and leaking issues on the west deck” and “water running through the exterior foundations walls into the home.” [CM/ECF docket #37-1] at 3. The Keslings hired an engineering firm, BornEngineering, which issued a report on the deck and related problems on October 31, 2008. [# 36-3]. BornEngineering issued a second report, generally focused on other problems with the house, on June 18, 2009. [# 36-4],

On July 16, 2009 the Keslings filed a complaint in the Douglas County District Court against defendants the Dulaneys and their company JLM Products & Design, Inc., which had acted as the general contractor for the construction on the home and certain warranty repair work; and the architect who designed the home; and various subcontractors involved in the construction or warranty repair work. [# 1-2]. The Keslings alleged that they had discovered six “conditions, defects and/or damage” in the home: (1) Damage to the surface of the main deck; (2) damage to nearly all structural members of the main deck; (3) damage to interior and exterior walls adjacent to the main deck; (4) damage to the roof system and adjacent members; (5) moisture intrusion and elevated levels of mold in the downstairs bedroom; and (6) moisture intrusion, elevated levels of mold, and rust, corrosion, and cracking of structural members and walls in the crawlspace.

The Keslings alleged that the damage in categories (1) and (2) were “caused either directly or indirectly by one or more” of five causes:

(i) a defectively designed and/or constructed deck system ... that results in the failure to provide positive drainage of precipitation off the surface of the deck and away from the Residence and instead diverts water toward the Residence and/or fails to prevent precipitation from penetrating the surface of the deck, the deck and vertical wall junctions, and the structural deck support columns;
(ii) an improper application of weatherproofing materials and an epoxy/pebble stone coating ... that is not appropriate for the subject deck system and results in the failure to provide positive drainage of precipitation off the surface of the deck and away from the Residence and instead diverts water toward the Residence and/or fails to prevent precipitation from penetrating the surface of the deck, the deck and vertical wall junctions, and the structural deck support columns;
(iii) precipitation ‘ponding’ on the surface of the main deck that penetrates the surface of the deck, the [1277]*1277deck and vertical wall junctions, and the structural deck support columns;
(iv) the lack of proper flashing, lapping of weatherproofing materials, sealants, and control joints at various transition points; and/or
(v) continuous and/or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.

[# 1-2] at 4-5.

They alleged that the damage in category (3) and the moisture intrusion in category (5) were “caused directly or indirectly by one or more of’ the same five causes attributed to categories (1) and (2) and/or “the lack of a vapor barrier in the crawlspace.” Id. at 5-6.

The damage in category (4) was alleged to have been “caused either directly or indirectly by one or more” of three causes:

(i) a defectively designed and/or constructed roof system that results in the failure to provide positive drainage of precipitation off the surface of the roof and away from the Residence, fails to prevent precipitation from penetrating the roof and roof and vertical wall junctions, and/or fails to adequately support the code applied loads;
(ii) the lack of proper flashing, lapping of weatherproofing materials, sealants, and control joints at various transition points; and/or
(iii) continuous and/or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.

The moisture intrusion, mold, etc. in category (6) was alleged to have been “caused either directly or indirectly by one or more” of five causes:

(i) a defectively designed and/or constructed weatherproofing and drainage system in the crawlspace that results in the failure to provide positive drainage of precipitation off the surface of the deck and away from the Residence and instead diverts water toward the Residence and/or fails to prevent precipitation from penetrating into the crawlspace;
(ii) an improper application of weatherproofing materials and a drainage system that is not appropriate for the subject crawl space and results in the failure to provide positive drainage of precipitation and water away from the Residence and instead diverts water toward the Residence and/or the failure to prevent precipitation and water from penetrating into and building up in the crawlspace;
(iii) the lack of appropriate anchoring between load bearing walls, steel beams, steel columns, and concrete piers;
(iv) the lack of a vapor barrier in the crawlspace; and/or
(v) continuous and/or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.

The Court has not been informed about the status of the state court construction defect litigation.

Insurance Coverage Litigation

As will be discussed in more detail below, Mr. Kesling first notified an American Family agent of water damage to the deck and siding by telephone on August 6, 2008. The Keslings next contacted American Family by letter, through counsel, on August 28, 2009. [# 1-2] at 1. The letter attached a copy of the state court complaint, bids they had obtained for repair work, and an appraisal report. The Keslings requested coverage for the “conditions, defects and damages” at their home under their homeowner’s policy which covers accidental direct physical loss to prop[1278]*1278erty described in the policy unless the loss is excluded. [# 1-1] at 12.

On September 21, 2009 American Family denied coverage. [# 1-4]. The denial letter recited that American Family had inspected the residence and had reviewed the information provided.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
861 F. Supp. 2d 1274, 2012 WL 975881, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38857, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kesling-v-american-family-mutual-insurance-cod-2012.