CLEVELAND COUNTY — A big case is headed to trial in Cleveland County Wednesday morning involving the 2013 Moore tornado.
A Moore homeowner is suing his insurance company, claiming they would not settle with him fairly after his home was heavily damaged.
The Becerra family claims Farmers Insurance failed to pay the full and fair amount for the damage to their home and that they withheld benefits and coverage, resulting in financial loss and mental and emotional distress to their family.
We first introduced you to the Becerras back in July of 2013 at their tornado damaged home right behind the Warren Theater.
The walls of their home actually moved back and forth and ceilings had caved in.
Gabriel Becerra told us that his insurance adjustor wanted his family to live in that house while it was fixed.
“They wanted me to live in here … they said this is livable,” said Becerra. “Just like, are you kidding me? You know, are you kidding me?”
Becerra hired attorney, Jeff Marr, to help him fight his insurance company, Foremost Insurance, a subsidiary of Farmers.
An engineer hired by Foremost wrote in his report that the movement of some of those walls “were not attributable to the subject tornado event, but rather were consistent with non-uniform movement of the soils.”
“Any fool can tell that’s not the result of settlement,” said Marr. “It’s a joke to tell this man and his family they have to move back into this home.”
The city of Moore ultimately condemned the home and demolished it in December of 2013.
“You’ve been there for so long. It’s emotional. You know seeing that you walked through those walls, you played with your kids when they were little,” said Becerra.
According to court documents, Farmers offered $750,000 earlier this month to settle the case.
That was a no go and a jury will now decide if Farmers breached their contract.
Jury selection begins Wednesday morning in Cleveland County.
