HARDBOARD SIDING CLAIMS INC.
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info@hardboardsidingclaims.com
To Current Property owner
By way of introduction, HARDBOARD SIDING CLAIMS, INC. (HSC), was formed to
service the needs of consumers who are entitled to cash settlements because of
recent or existing class action law suits or warranty claims that are available to victims
of defective “hardboard siding” on homes or commercial buildings. The commitment
and focus of HSC’s efforts is to provide our clients with hassle free onsite inspection,
product identification, and the collection and processing of the necessary
documentation in the event you are entitled to a cash or warranty settlement for
damages.
HARDBOARD SIDING CLAIMS, INC is an “approved claims processor” with the court
appointed administrator who oversees the payout of cash or warranty settlements.
The reason for our contact with you is to quickly determine whether or not your home
or commercial building may be entitled to any one of several different class action
settlements, or warranty claims in regards to hardboard siding. Our claims specialist
and expert product inspectors have years of experience and can expedite the process
for a settlement on your behalf. Unfortunately, the courts have determined that
because of a lack of awareness most home or commercial property owners have little
or no idea that they may be entitled to a cash settlement, or even know that their
hardboard siding is deteriorating. In many instances, only a qualified inspector is
capable of identifying the product, and whether or not it is damaged.
The court with jurisdiction has approved certain claim service companies to assist
consumers in identifying the many different hardboard siding products to ensure that
those that are entitled to these cash settlements are made aware of their rights. The
challenge for the courts, HSC, and the consumer is that a record’s of where the
product was originally installed is not available, and even simple identification of the
product is difficult at best.
HSC has accepted the responsibility of seeking out properties that are entitled to cash
settlements for defective hardboard siding. The average claim can range from
thousands of dollars for smaller homes to hundreds of thousands for commercial
buildings. Most inspection companies charge as much as $200 to $500 for a
residential dwellings, and up to thousands for commercial structures just to do an initial
inspection - even if it is determined that there is no claim. HSC does not penalize
consumers who do not qualify for a settlement or warranty claim, and provides initial
inspection services for free. In the event that it is determined that you do have a
claim, HSC never requires an upfront fee from you.
We invite you to call us toll free at 1 (800)680-0136 or
local 208-634-4525 to talk with a claims specialist, or
Email us at:
info@hardboardsidingclaims.com
PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH HARDBOARD & OTHER SIDING PRODUCTS
ABTCO an LP Brand
AbtCo/Abitibi Price
Georgia Pacific Cadence and Sundance Hardboard Siding
Georgia Pacific Catawba Siding
Jefferson Smurfit Cladwood Siding and Cladwood Exterior siding distributed by
Lankmark
Louisiana-Pacific: Help with Identifying: LP Innerseal, 2nd Generation LP, and New
Smart LP Lap
Masonite
Masonite Omni Wood
Stimson Forestex
Temple Inland Lap Siding... Panel Siding... Special Panels
Weyerhaeuser : Collinswood TruWood Siding (a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser) The
Collinswood TruWood Siding webpage
WERZALIT Lap Siding - Werzalit of America, Inc.
CEMENTATIOUS SIDINGS:
Cemplank
CertainTeed Weatherboards
James Hardie
MAXIPLANK and MAXIPANEL distributed by Landmark
VINYL SIDINGS:
CertainTeed Vinyl
Crane Performance Vinyl
LP Vinyl
VINYL, ALUMINUM, and STEEL SIDINGS:
Siding Match - Siding Match is a residential siding identification service for the
identification and location of Vinyl, Aluminum, Steel, and Concrete.
REAL WOOD SIDING:
T-1-11 Patterned Exterior Plywood
Does the siding on your residential home or commercial building look
like this? If so, you are probably entitled to a cash settlement…
The real estate boom of the last twenty years has resulted in the construction of
millions of single-family and multi-unit structures using "new" and "synthetic" building
products that were sometimes installed by unskilled laborers.
These composite wood products, made of wood fibers (waste) and glue tend to
prematurely rot, swell, grow mildew and fungus, and buckle or warp.
There has been Over 5 nationwide class-action lawsuits that have been settled
resulting in multi-million dollar reimbursement programs.
The Process begins with…
We identify the qualifying building materials installed on your home from over 20
different brands and Companies.
We evaluate the eligible product(s) installed on your property and file a claim matching
you up with the right lawsuit are Warranty claim on your behalf with the correct
settlement administrator.
We ensure your settlement offer adequately reflects your damages. If not we can have
a second inspection. Or we can refile your claim
The process begins with an on-site inspection on your property by an insured,
experienced field technician. During the initial on-site visit, we will identify the
manufacturer of your siding or other building materials, evaluate your damages, collect
and produce documentation and file the necessary paperwork with the correct
settlement administrator. Our initial on-site visit can take from a few minutes to a few
hours. At times, it will be necessary to visit your property during the settlement process.
Our claims process service includes:
On-site visit (multiple site visits, if necessary)
Product identification and evaluation.
Matching damaged products to the correct settlement program or Warranty
claim.
Collection of all documents, product samples, and preparation of all claim
forms.
Management, scheduling and audits of third party, on-site inspections.
Collection and disbursement of funds.
Creation and maintenance of customer database for subsequent and future
claims.
Post-recovery on-site inspections.
Our involvement in the claims process produces significant, bottom-line results by
expediting the claim and allowing property owners to eliminate unnecessary expenses
and administrative tasks. Lets you do what you do best, while we do what we do best.
We operate on a "pay-for-performance" basis, therefore, eliminating any risk on the
part of the property owner. Our fees are contingent on recovery and do not require
any out-of-pocket costs. There is never a charge until a recovery is documented and
paid to you.
1. Will I receive enough money to completely replace the siding on my
home?
2. Why have I not heard about these class-action lawsuits before now?
3. How do I know if I qualify?
4. What is composite wood siding?
5. Do I have a problem with my siding?
6. Why must I deal with this problem now?
7. How does the Class Action reimbursement process work?
8. What services does Hardboard Siding Claims Inc. provide?
9 How much do you charge for your services?
10. What if my siding is not involved in a Class-Action?
11. What is Hardboard Siding?
12. What is OSB siding? (Oriented Strand Board)
13. Why does composite wood siding fail?
1. Will I receive enough money to completely replace the siding
on my home or commercial builiding?
The settlement amounts typically do not cover the entire cost of complete
replacement. All structures exhibit different damage characteristics and materials may
not require immediate replacement. Certain architectural details, such as, roof/wall
intersections and chimneys require immediate attention and these repairs should be
covered by the damage award. A typical example of a hardboard siding settlement for
a home or commercial structure is provided below:
The average cash settlement for recent hardboard residential claims was $5000.00
Commercial Structures are much more, and can be in the range of $100,000+ or more!
2. Why have I not heard about these class-action lawsuits before
now?
When these lawsuits are settled, the court has to decide what method of notification
will best serve the class members. The notification process used in many of the
building product class-action settlements are nationwide advertising campaigns using
television, newspapers and radio. According to the settlement, you are considered
notified whether you see or hear the advertisements or not.
3. How do I know if I qualify?
If you own a home or commercial structure that was built between 1980 and 1998, and
have deteriorating or damaged siding, you probably qualify. If you currently a home or
commercial building, and spent money to replace or repair the siding, you may qualify
for reimbursement.
.4, What is composite wood siding?
Most people refer to this siding as fake wood or composite wood. The siding is man-
made, utilizing various combinations of wood chips and glue, manufactured to
resemble real wood. Some wood chips are large while some are very fine grained,
overlaid with very thin laminate to give a "real wood" look on the surface. These
products come in lap and panel siding. Lap siding runs horizontally, and each board
laps over the other. Panel siding is a 4x8 or 4x9 sheet of paneling.
5. Do I have a problem with my siding?
If damage is not obviously apparent now, the likelihood of future damage is very high.
The question is not if your composite wood siding will go bad, the question is “when”.
As mentioned before, damage may not be visible to the untrained eye.
Most property owners are not aware that they even have a problem. Signs of defect
are often obscure to the naked eye. Inspection by an expert is usually the only way to
determine the extent of damage. In our experience, if a structure is more than 5 years
old, and the siding is made by one of the several companies named in a class-action
settlement, chances are that you are entitled a cash settlement is highly likely. These
siding products tend to buckle, deteriorate prematurely, delaminate, swell and promote
fungus.
The photos shown on the previous page represent very advanced stages of
deterioration. Your siding does not have to look as bad as the photo examples in order
to qualify for compensation. The damage must only meet the minimum threshold set by
court-approved standards.
Take the time to go through the following checklist:
Compare weather-exposed pieces of siding to unexposed, undamaged pieces of
siding, for example, choose a board that is under an overhang.
Look at the drip edge (the bottom edge of the siding). Is the drip edge swelling or
cracking?
Look for swelling and peeling at the joints where boards are joined together.
Does the siding swell around the nail heads to the extent that the nails look sunk in?
Are any pieces of the siding deteriorating? Pay close attention
to boards that are closest to the ground.
Do the boards buckle and appear to be warped?
Is there fungal growth on the drip edge of the siding?
Is your paint peeling and flaking and is it difficult to get paint
to stick to your siding?
Note: Boards close to the ground and boards installed on
chimneys are the first to become damaged. Look there first.
Is the board swelling and the paint cracking on the bottom
edge of the boards
6. Why must I deal with this problem now?
It could cause subsequent damage to other products on your home such as wall and
roof sheathing, and other interior products. You must file a claim within filing deadlines.
Some class action settlements have more than one deadline pertaining to each of their
products.
Continued neglect could cause a problem in selling your home or commercial building
in the future. Most new buyers are becoming increasingly sophisticated when it comes
to purchase decisions and or structure due diligence.
Disclosure is the primary issue that ultimately plagues sellers during or after the sale
of real property.
7. How does the Class Action reimbursement process work?
Each settlement has a different set of requirements. Most settlements require, but are
not limited to the following:
Submittal of samples of product from each structure to prove the product exists on the
property. Some suits require only one sample from the complex if multi units
Documentation to prove ownership of the subject property.
Claim forms must be filled out for each structure. Some suits require only one for the
complex.
Once the sample of your siding and paperwork is approved by the claims
administrator. A court appointed inspector is then required to inspect your siding and
determine how much damage exist. This can take up to 30 to 60 days.
Your cash settlement will be based upon the final inspection of square footage
damaged according to the class action settlement guidelines.
8. Onsite inspection and product identification of existing
hardboard or composite siding on your home or commercial property.
Determination of whether or not the existing siding is involved in a class action
settlement.
Processing and gathering of all supporting documentation for the proper submission of
a claims application.
Follow-up and maintenance of claims submission and claims payment.
Disposition and review of final settlement to ensure that it accurately reflects your
entitlement.
Hardboard Siding Claims creates and maintains a database for future and
subsequent claims. Some claims can be re-filed each year with you receiving the
difference.
9. How much do you charge for your services?
Our service is guaranteed and fees are based solely on a percentage of the
settlement we recover for you. Our guarantee is simple, when you are awarded a
settlement then we are paid. If for some reason we do not recover a settlement, there
is never a charge for our services. There are never any hidden charges or up-front
fees for our service.
10. What if my siding is not involved in a Class Action?
If your siding is not involved in a class action reimbursement program, you may be
able to file a warranty claim with the manufacturer of your siding. Presently, there are
several pending state and national class action lawsuits. We will notify you when the
parties have reached a settlement and the claims reimbursement process is in place.
.
11. What is Hardboard Siding?
Hardboard siding is fine-grained sawdust and wood waste product combined with
resins (glue) using high heat and pressure.
Although this material has been manufactured since the 1940’s, the bulk of the
material was installed on properties from 1980 to 1998. These properties include,
apartments, townhomes, condominiums, manufactured homes and single-family
homes. Most manufacturers have discontinued manufacturing hardboard siding. Most
recently was the Masonite corporation in March of 2001.
12. What is OSB siding? (Oriented Strand Board)
OSB or Oriented Strand Board is a wood panel manufactured with strands of wood
layered to increase strength and stability. The strands are coated with a special
binder, arranged into layers, and then bounded under extreme heat and pressure.
Some OSB siding products have a thin paper layer laminated on the surface.
Both OSB and hardboard sidings are among the least expensive siding options.
13. Why does composite wood siding fail?
Several factors contribute to the failure of composite wood siding: the performance of
the product itself, the quality of its installation, and/or the design of the structure.
Composite siding does not handle water or humid environments very well. Water
droplets collect on the bottom edge of the siding after a rain shower or morning dew.
The wood fibers expand and contract causing the boards to crack, buckle, peel and
delaminate. As the paint cracks it allows more moisture and damage to occur. Fungi
and bacteria are also attracted to wet wood. Many new homes lack sufficient gutters
and overhangs. Most homes are not painted using the recommended number of coats
of paint. Homes today are sprayed with machines and the bottom edge of the boards
are not properly protected.
GREGORY LEWIS
HARDBOARD SIDING CLAIMS INC.
405 KNIGHTS RD.
PO BOX 3150
MCCALL, ID 83686
(800) 680-0136 or (208)634-4525 FAX (208)634-4585
Email us at info@hardboardsidingclaims.com
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REGISTERED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN IDAHO.
HARDBOARD SIDING CLAIMS INC
