Franke, Schultz & Mullen, PC | Jasper County, MO Jury Returns Verdict for Insurance Company in Tornado Claim
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Jasper County, MO Jury Returns Verdict for Insurance Company in Tornado Claim

04/24/2017
Ryan Karaim and Nikki Cannezzaro received a defense verdict in Jasper County, Missouri, on April 20, 2017. The case involved a first-party insurance claim arising out of the Joplin tornado of May 2011.  Plaintiffs owned a home in Joplin, Missouri, which was damaged during the Joplin tornado. After the tornado, plaintiffs made a claim with their homeowner’s insurance company for their claimed damages, including a claim for complete replacement of the roof, all windows, and for repairs to damaged siding, guttering, fencing, ceilings, walls and other areas of their home and property. The insurance company disagreed with the damages claimed, and paid plaintiffs a lesser amount.  Plaintiffs thereafter sued for breach of the insurance contract and vexatious refusal to pay. The case was tried to a Jasper County, Missouri Jury.  At trial plaintiffs presented testimony from an engineering expert and roofing expert to support the claim for damages. However, the jury took less than 15 minutes to deliberate and ultimately returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the defendant insurance company.