An insurance carrier retained an NV5 industrial hygienist to assist with a cleaning protocol following a fire that occurred in a garage. The carrier had been given a report that the interior of the home was inundated with soot and an Xactimate cost estimate to repair of over $200,000. The insurance adjuster visited the home, questioned the cleaning recommendations based upon lack of visible fire residues within the home, and requested a second opinion from a certified industrial hygienist (CIH).
NV5’s CIH conducted reviewed the consultant’s report and found lacking credentials to perform the work and a reasonable scope of evaluation, along with major discrepancies between the test results and the associated recommendations. The CIH further conducted testing and evaluation of combustion byproducts at the site for comparison purposes. Both review of the other consultant’s submitted information and the results of the NV5 evaluation concluded that no additional cleaning work was necessary in the home interior. The insurance company denied the claim.