HOUSTON — Hurricane Beryl created a devastating reality for many in the Houston area, including a single mother.
“This is the first house I’ve ever bought by myself, and I’m 50 years old,” Reagan Wyck told KHOU 11. “This is for me and my daughters. I worked really hard to get this house. To see it destroyed like that, in a matter of seconds, I can’t even describe how devastating it is.”
Wyck described how the powerful storm caused a large pine tree from a neighboring lot to crash through her home.
“I jumped out of bed and hugged that wall,” Wyck said. “Literally hugged the wall, and everything came crashing down.”
She’s grateful to be alive and thankful her daughters weren’t home when it happened. However, she’s upset about what she discovered after examining the tree. She claimed it was rotten and found evidence of a termite infestation.
“What I would like to do is hold this guy responsible,” she said.
Wyck mentioned having difficulty contacting the owner of the lot because it’s owned by an LLC.
“His name isn’t even on the property,” Wyck explained.
John Black from the Daly and Black law firm explained that, typically in Texas, if a tree from a neighbor’s lot falls into your home during a natural disaster, you’re responsible. But there is an exception.
“In situations where you think your neighbor did something wrong or failed to do something, which we call negligence, and in those instances, it may be your neighbor’s fault, at least partly,” Black explained.
To track down the person behind the company that owns the lot, Black recommends visiting the Secretary of State’s website, where you can find the registered agent for any LLC operating in the state.
“That’s the person the company, the LLC, has designated to receive notices,” Black said.
The Secretary of State’s website should have an email, phone number, or address listed. You can use that information to hopefully track down the owner and try to recover your costs.