The collapse of the Calcasieu River barrier in May 2017 forced Molbert to spend over $266,000 on residential repairs alongside more than $167,000 for an engineered steel replacement. Although an initial trial allocated 25% of the fault to Molbert, the Third Circuit Court of Appeal fully cleared her of responsibility and increased her mental anguish damages. Furthermore, the court determined that the contractor's lack of legal licensing rendered the original agreement null, eliminating a breach-of-contract exclusion that the insurer attempted to use.
Key points
Homeowners are not liable for structural damage caused by defective contractor installati…: Homeowners are not liable for structural damage caused by defective contractor installations tied directly to foundational pilings.
Contractors operating without legally required licenses nullify standard agreements, prev…: Contractors operating without legally required licenses nullify standard agreements, preventing insurers from citing breach-of-contract coverage exclusions.
Standard commercial work-product exclusions do not shield insurers from paying for collat…: Standard commercial work-product exclusions do not shield insurers from paying for collateral damage inflicted on a client's broader residence.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
A riverfront home can face years of damage from erosion and moving water, making protective structures an important investment for homeowners. But when a barrier built to safeguard a property fails during a flood, the consequences can extend far beyond the cost of replacing it. One Louisiana homeowner experienced this after a wooden river barrier collapsed, leaving her house structurally compromised and requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs.
The Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, addressed the dispute in its October 30, 2026,
decision in Elizabeth D. Molbert v. Kenko Bulkhead & Marine Services, LLC, et al., available on Justia. The court examined the contractor's responsibility for the failed construction, the homeowner's share of fault and the extent of the contractor's insurance coverage. It ultimately removed the homeowner's share of responsibility, increased her mental anguish compensation and revised the damages awarded, bringing her total recovery to $448,431.34.
A $32,500 bulkhead was built to protect the riverfront property
Elizabeth Molbert purchased her home along the west fork of the Calcasieu River in 2009 for $109,000. Several years later, concerned…
Readers across Britain are actively seeking out works by the celebrated Irish author amid a notable shift in her publisher's distribution strategy. The heightened interest has placed pressure on retail channels to keep her catalog accessible to the public. As consumer interest accelerates, bookstores are stepping in to ensure shelves remain stocked.
State justices determined that an individual creditor cannot seize an entire jointly held property when the underlying liability belongs to only one spouse. The ruling vacates an order that threatened to displace a family of six, remanding the dispute to the lower court to address the husband's separate half-interest. This decision clarifies crucial property rights for co-owners facing commercial debt collections in Nebraska.
Joint armed forces mounted a two-day interception in the Arabian Sea to secure the hijacked vessel Azini and seize an arsenal from armed assailants. Supported by the air force, the mission demonstrated India's expanding security perimeter across vital international shipping lanes. The decisive resolution marks one of the furthest offshore anti-piracy interventions carried out by the nation's maritime forces.