WINFIELD — A couple is suing Ripjack Industries alleging it failed to properly conduct a home inspection and did not disclose to them many defects in a Hurricane home.
Ripjack Industries LLC is doing business as Advantage Home Inspections.
Mountain State Crawlspace Solutions and Sheets Handyman Service were also named as defendants in the suit.
On July 20, 2021, Tod Ripa, the owner of Ripjack, performed a home inspection on a home in Hurricane for the purpose of informing Edward Diaz and Julia Diaz of the potential defects of the home and inform them of the general quality of the home before the plaintiffs closed on the home, according to a complaint filed in Putnam Circuit Court.
The Diazes claim they relied on the report by the defendants when making the decision to close on the home, however, shortly after purchase, they noticed defects in the home that they claim they were never made aware of in the report.
The plaintiffs noticed that there were obvious signs of a prior water leak under a sink that had developed what appears to be black mold and that the home was infested with rodents and an exterminator was hired to ride the home of the infestation.
The Diazes claim they also discovered some of the windows were cracked, the upstairs toilet was defective and the insulation was ruined.
They also discovered the drainage system and roof were defective, according to the suit.
The defendants breached their duties of ordinary care in the inspection of the home and in accordance with warranties, according to the suit. They also violated the West Virginia Consumer Protection Act, the plaintiffs allege.
The Diazes claim the defendants caused them damages with their negligence.
The Diazes are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are represented by Joshua R. Martin of The Martin Law Firm in Nitro.
Putnam Circuit Court case number: 22-C-95
