KENOSHA — A Kenosha couple says they finally have answers after spending nearly three months wondering who would pay for damage caused when part of their neighbor’s garage collapsed onto their property.
Lisa and Dino Lupo said they woke up on May 19 to find a wall of the neighboring garage had fallen.
“There was probably three feet high off the ground of bricks and mortar that were lying here behind our garage and up against it,” Dino Lupo said.
The couple cleaned up the debris, but damage to their garage remained. They filed a liability claim with their neighbor’s insurer, State Farm. The Lupos said they were told the collapse was weather-related.
In an email later sent to the Lupos, State Farm wrote that, based on its investigation and understanding of the loss, its insured would not be found legally responsible for the claimed damages.
“I just felt like we were hitting brick wall after brick wall after brick wall,” Lisa said. “I was like, we’re just gonna have to end up paying for this.”
City records show that following an August inspection, Kenosha issued an order requiring the 528-square-foot accessory structure to be razed or repaired.
After months of frustration, Lisa reached out to TMJ4 for help.
TMJ4 contacted State Farm, asking about the denial and the Lupos’ concerns surrounding the collapse.
State Farm initially told TMJ4 it would review the claim. The company later said it could not discuss specific claim details because of its customer privacy policy, but confirmed it had reached out to the claimant with updates.
“We are also always willing to consider additional information that claimants may bring us about the circumstances of the claim,” State Farm spokesperson Tom Hartman said.
The Lupos subsequently received another message from State Farm telling them to “disregard” the previous email and provide estimates for siding, personal property and a garden fence to move the claim forward.
The couple says they have now been told the damage will be covered.
“We had more answers within that 24 hours of you and I talking than we had in three months,” Lisa said. “So we're just very grateful.”
For the Lupos, the news means months of uncertainty can finally give way to repairs.
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