Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog : Insurance Subrogation Lawyer & Attorney : Cozen O'Connor Law Firm : Property Damage & Insurance Commentary

If you live in the southwest, then you have probably looked into different ways to keep your house or business cooler without raising you air conditioning bills.  One solution which has increased in popularity over the past couple of years is the installation of a reflective radiant barrier. Radiant barriers can be used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Radiant barriers reduce summer heat gain and winter heat loss, which helps lower heating and cooling costs.  The potential benefit of attic radiant barriers is primarily in reducing air-conditioning cooling loads in warm or hot climates.

The two most common types of radiant barriers on the market today are radiant barrier coatings and radiant barrier foil coverings. Radiant barrier coatings (latex paint mixed with aluminum) are typically sprayed on the underside of the roof decking. Radiant barrier foil coverings usually consist of a thin sheet or coating of a highly reflective material, usually aluminum, applied to one or both sides of the substrate. Common substrates include kraft paper, plastic films (scrim), cardboard, plywood sheathing, and oriented strand board. Reflective radiant barrier foil products can be installed between the roof sheathing and attic floor insulation, in wall cavities, and around door openings, water heaters, and pipes.

While the potential benefits of radiant barrier foil coverings are well known and advertised, the potential risks are much less well know. It should come as no surprise that the aluminum laminate used in the reflective radiant barrier covering is an excellent conductor of electricity. When grounded, through incidental contact with the homes grounded electrical lines, plumbing lines, junction boxes or recessed light fixtures, it can effectively conduct electricity throughout the entire attic space. Because reflective radiant barriers are installed either on the attic floor or between the roof sheathing, the potential exists for them to become energized through contact with exposed or damaged residential wiring, as well as through a direct lightning strikes on the chimney cap, metallic roof penetrations, attic vents, and flashings. When a radiant barrier becomes energized and current begins to flow through it, intense heating can occur at the connection points. The intense heating at those connection points has the potential and often does ignite the various combustible substrate materials upon which the aluminum is mounted or laminated. The greater the amount of current flowing through the system (i.e. typical 120v residential wiring vs. lightning), the greater the risk of fire.

Over the past year, we have identified a number of radiant barrier fires with good recovery potential.  It should be noted that radiant barrier losses are not always easy to identify  because they can occur virtually anywhere along the energized radiant barrier foil, not just at the point where it becomes energized.  That being said, we continue to work closely with our experts to identify, understand and evaluate these losses.  If you believe that you have a loss potentially involving a radiant barrier, Cozen O'Connor stands ready to assist in evaluating all aspects of the loss for third-party opportunities.

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Effective October 1, 2009, North Carolina's statute of repose for claims for defective products will be increased from six to twelve years for actions that accrue on or after October 1, 2009.  N .C .G .S. 1-46.1(a)(1) .  For actions that accrued prior to October 1, 2009, the former statue of six years after the date of initial purchase or consumption will apply. 

This will substantially and positively impact subrogation potential for defective product claims in North Carolina. Interestingly, the statute of repose for improvements to real property will remain six years from the later of the specific last act/omission giving rise to the cause of action or the date of substantial completion .   N.C.G.S.  1-50(a)(5)

It is key that in any claim you have that you are calculating both the statute of limitation and statute of repose periods.  Remember a statute of limitation begins to run from the date of the event or loss.  This is the length of time within which a legal cause of action or suit must be brought.  Whereas, as statute of repose may have begun to run months or even years before the event/loss.  A classic example would be a defective car which catches fire within the garage of a home.  In North Carolina, the statute of limitation for property damages based in tort is generally three years from the event.  However, the statute of repose for the product, in this case the car, will be calculated from the date of sale to the first purchaser.

Suit must be brought before the running of both the limitation and repose periods.

 It is entirely possible that the repose period may have run before the loss or will run shortly after the date of loss.  This was frequently the problem with product claims in North Carolina because of the short repose period of six years.  Now, for events that take place after October 1, 2009, a twelve year repose period will apply and more product claims can be brought as now products between 7-12 years in age will not automatically be excluded which would bar suit against the manufacturer.   In the example above, a claim that occurred prior to October 1, 2009, for a defective 11-year old vehicle is barred because the six year statute of repose still applies to claims before October 1, 2009.  If the fire had occurred today, October 1, 2009, the claim would not be barred because of the longer repose period of twelve years applies.  Note, you would still have to bring suit within one year of the loss (before the end of the 12th year), well before the running of the three year statute of limitation.  While the increase to 12 years for the product repose period is good news for those in the recovery business.

Keep in mind that North Carolina still has a fairly short six year statute of repose for improvements to real property.  So, if your house fire was due to defective original wiring in the garage and not the defective vehicle, you would have only a six year repose period that applies to your claim.  Like the example with the car, you might need to bring suit before the running of the limitation period if the six year repose period for the structure will run before the three year limitation period to bring suit expires."

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Subrogation cases often involve the pursuit of manufacturers in foreign countries.  Generally, service of process on those foreign manufacturers must be made pursuant to the requirements of the Hague Convention.  These requirements are time-consuming and costly, however, according to a recent California Appellate Court decision they may not always be necessary.

In Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. v. Sup. Ct., the California Court of Appeal recently held that under certain circumstances a party may serve a foreign corporation by serving the corporation's American subsidiary.  The court considered factors including whether (1) there is ample regular contact between the local representative and the foreign defendant, (2) the likelihood that the local representative will notify the foreign defendant of the service, and (3) the overall relationship between the two companies.

The court concluded service on Yamaha-Japan was effectuated via service on Yamaha-American as this domestic entity was the “general manager in this state” and was the American face of the Japanese company.  Yamaha-America had (1) an exclusive arrangement to sell the foreign manufacturer's products, (2) provided warranty service and English owner manuals, (3) performed testing and marketing, and (4) received complaints about the manufacturer's products.  As a result, the court concluded that service of Yamaha-American was effective service for Yamaha-Japan under California law.  

Cases involving service of process on foreign manufacturers should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether service on its American subsidiary will suffice.  If so, it will save time and money in the pursuit of your subrogation recovery.

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