Simpson Hurricane Straps Corrode Prematurely, Class Action Claims
by Erin Shaak
Cooper et al. v. Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Incorporated et al.
Filed: December 2, 2019 ◆§ 3:19-cv-07901
A proposed class action claims Simpson galvanized hurricane straps suffer a defect that causes the product to corrode and degrade "far in advance of its reasonable useful life."
California
A proposed class action has been filed over an apparent defect in galvanized hurricane straps manufactured and sold by Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc. and Simpson Manufacturing Company, Inc. that can cause the product to corrode and degrade “far in advance of its reasonable useful life.”
The defendants’ hurricane straps are described in the complaint as strips of galvanized steel that are secured to the structure of a home to provide greater protection during “high wind events” or seismic activity. Despite advertising the straps as a durable, good-quality product that helps consumers “build safe, strong structures,” Simpson failed to disclose that a defect in the product can lead to premature “corrosion, rusting, failure, deterioration, and disintegration,” the lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiffs, a Georgia couple and Florida business, claim their respective homes in Port St. Joe and Fernandina Beach, Florida were equipped with defective hurricane straps that began to corrode prematurely. The Georgia plaintiffs’ home, according to the case, was hit by a hurricane in 2019 and suffered severe damage “that otherwise would have been prevented” had the defendants’ product functioned as advertised. The case says the Florida business plaintiff in 2018 replaced corroded Simpson hurricane straps on its home with new straps made by the defendants and has already noticed “significant corrosion” on the replacement product.
The lawsuit claims the defendants knew the hurricane straps were defective yet continued to advertise and sell the product without disclosing the alleged defect. The plaintiffs argue that the defendants’ misrepresentations have caused significant harm in that their homes are no longer protected from damage caused by wind uplift and lateral resistance. From the complaint:
“The Product has failed and will continue to fail, damaging other building elements, causing continuous and progressive damage to Plaintiffs’ property, and requiring Plaintiffs to expend thousands of dollars to repair damage or replace the Product before the expiration of the useful life reasonably expected by Plaintiffs.”
The lawsuit looks to cover both a nationwide and Florida-only class of individuals who own residential structures constructed with Simpson hurricane straps embedded in the foundation or structural support, as well as all former owners who paid to repair the product.
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