Wright House, Wrong Peril: A Case Study in Hail Damage to a Frank Lloyd Wright Residence

There was no question that hail had damaged the copper roof of the only Dallas residential structure designed by the well-known architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. What began as a hail damage assessment on a historic house escalated to egregious claims that water intrusion and associated corrosion, wood rot and mold were the result of a single hail event that occurred in 2003. The author presents a case study that outlines the facts of the case including basic hail damage theory, the claims by the property owner, and completes with impeaching testimony provided at deposition and trial. A key trial exhibit is presented that illustrates that the information and assessment provided by the expert witness author was instrumental in revealing that the majority of the claimed damage existed prior to the hail event and developed due to long-term water intrusion.