Rhode Island Attorneys Obtain Summary Judgment in Storm Damage Suit

Providence Partner Laurie Christensen and Attorney Talia Kutsaftis recently prevailed in the Superior Court of Kent County on behalf of our insurance company client following an insured’s claim for additional property damage several years after their claim was resolved.

In 2018, a storm took place in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and caused damage to a home owned by our client’s insured that included wind damage to the roof, kitchen, foyer/entry and a bedroom. Following the storm, our insurance client submitted payment to its homeowner insured for the property damage, resolving the claim in its entirety and satisfying our client’s obligations under its policy issued to its homeowner insured.

More than seven years after the storm, the insured retained a public adjuster who allegedly found additional property damage to the home’s roof and attic that they claimed was caused by the 2018 storm and moved pursuant to our client’s policy issued to its homeowner insured for appraisal. Our defense attorneys, Laurie Christensen and Talia Kutsaftis, filed an objection and Motion to Dismiss on behalf of our client, which was converted to a Motion for Summary Judgment.

At the hearing, our defense attorneys argued that the homeowner insured had no rights to assign because our client complied with its obligations under its policy when it conducted a timely inspection of the property damage following the storm in 2018. Laurie Christensen and Talia Kutsaftis also argued that our client timely sent an accompanying correspondence to the homeowner insured and issued payment, and also informed the insured that by issuing payment it would be closing its file, signifying finality of the claim in full and final settlement.

In January 2026, the Superior Court agreed with our attorneys’ arguments and granted our Motion for Summary Judgment.

Laurie L. Christensen handles insurance coverage claims and defends insurance companies, insureds and self-insured corporations. She also represents client in a range of litigation matters, including commercial liability, premises liability, product defect, personal injury and toxic tort.

Talia A. Kutsaftis focuses her practice in the areas of insurance coverage, first-party property, product liability, bad faith claims and general liability. She also has experience in the areas of business law and intellectual property, as well as criminal and family law.