Ashtabula Schools Sue Liberty Mutual Over Unpaid Roof Collapse Claim

Ashtabula Area City Schools filed a lawsuit Monday against Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, alleging the insurer has refused to pay claims for repairs to Lakeside High School after a roof collapse last December left the building structurally unsafe.

The district maintained more than $232 million in insurance coverage and cooperated fully with Liberty Mutual’s investigation, according to Superintendent Lisa Newsome. The lawsuit, filed by the Merlin Law Group, claims Liberty Mutual has blocked reconstruction by refusing to pay for repairs, leaving portions of the building exposed to the elements and causing further deterioration.

Nearly a year after the collapse, 900 students and 100 staff members remain displaced, and the high school building remains structurally unsafe and unusable. Students have been attending classes at two other district buildings, unable to access science labs, the gym and the auditorium.

The roof collapsed in early December after approximately five feet of snow blanketed the Ashtabula area during Thanksgiving weekend. District consultants estimate the cost of repairs at $56.4 million, including complete demolition and reconstruction of the academic wing at $40.7 million, complete removal of the roof system on the back of the building at $11.7 million, and site damage repairs at $4 million.

The lawsuit alleges Liberty Mutual’s experts have downplayed the extent of structural damage, attributing the collapse to pre-existing infrastructure problems despite independent engineering assessments concluding otherwise. The building has a history of roof issues dating back to 2006, shortly after construction. The district previously sued the now-defunct construction company for alleged shoddy workmanship. Another snowstorm in 2018 caused buckling that cost the district $70,000 in repairs.

Liberty Mutual canceled the school district’s insurance policies on December 13, just 12 days after the roof collapse and the claim was filed.

The lawsuit alleges Liberty Mutual authorized demolition of the classroom portion of the building but failed to protect the remaining structure from outside elements, causing further deterioration. District attorney Anthony Loe stated that Liberty Mutual had the roof of the academic wing torn off with no plan to protect the remaining structure.

The lawsuit also alleges there are toxins in the building, and Liberty Mutual wants to apply temporary fixes rather than properly remediating the hazards.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division.

The district has put a bond issue on the ballot to raise up to $42 million to cover the gap between repair costs and what Liberty Mutual values the claim at. A bond issue appears on today’s ballot that would raise funds for reconstruction. The district has reduced the projected amount needed to 2.76 mills, or $97 annually for a home valued at $100,000. Without funding in place, construction cannot begin due to Ohio law requirements, and the earliest students could return to the high school is January 2028.