How Forensic Structural Engineers Assist You in Submitting the Correct Hail Storm Damage Claim
Two roofs. Same storm. One claim settled, one denied. Have you ever heard or found yourself in a similar situation and thought, What’s the reason? It’s the forensic, state-sealed report that proved the storm caused the damage, the mechanism of damage, and the real scope of repair, everything in detail.
How does a “forensic” structural engineer report transform the outcome of your claim?
No need to put yourself through any exercise to find the right answer to the above question.
The answer lies here in this blog.
Most underpaid or denied claims are lost in the documents. When you have a forensic structural engineer by your side, they don’t simply locate impacts; they document which storm caused the damage, how the materials responded, and why the repair or replacement is technically necessary. That detailed documentation, from weather information to field observations to a state-stamped report, is what carriers, lawyers, and appraisers are educated to uphold.
In Virginia, sealing comes with legal responsibility and specific rules for the use of the professional engineer’s seal. And this is enough to mark how important a stamped report from a professional forensic structural engineer is in the process of filing a claim.
Insurers require a report that makes real sense
Insurers and contradicting experts seek verification, like official storm data, radar-based hail analytics, field-confirmed damage, and a sound cause analysis. A Step in Time Structural Engineering, led by Mr. Raymond Gessner, who is a PE license holder in Virginia and several other states, ensures that the inspection for hail damage and storm damage estimations is tied to the same data the weather community reports, so homeowners have a persuasive report to present for the claim.
Read more about how a professional structural engineer helps in preparing an organised claim report.
How forensic engineers assist in hailstorm roof damage
1) Nail down the Date of Loss (DoL)
Definition: The Date of Loss is the actual day when inclement weather resulted in damage, utilised by insurers to ascertain eligibility for coverage and time limits.
A licensed professional engineer matches your location to the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database and Local Storm Reports to pin damage to an event window. DoL establishment is key to coverage activation, deductibles, and timelines. And it is a much more robust way than utilising generic media reports or neighbourhood rumours.
2) Extract site-specific hail & wind analytics (not ZIP averages)
Definition: Site-specific analytics are weather reports designed to exact property coordinates, not a general region, to ensure precise storm verification.
With NWS/NSSL products using MRMS MESH (Maximum Estimated Size of Hail), a professional engineer, like one from the team of A Step in Time Structural Engineer, will analyze swaths of hail size and intensity over your precise coordinates. These products are popularly used for warning/verification and provide an objective foundation to your claim timeline and severity story.
3) Conduct a forensic roof inspection that discriminates hail from imitators
Definition: A forensic roof inspection applies science and photographic proof to determine the actual cause of roof damage and rule out false causes.
Professional engineers record bruising, mat fracture, spatter, soft-metal strike, and detail-level evidence on ridges, hips, flashings, and penetrations. This way, they rule out the possibility of terming actual hailstorm damages as ageing, blistering, mechanical scuffs, or prior installation faults. The conclusions in the report are based on independent studies of shingle impact performance and material response to hail.
4) Construct geotagged photo documentation that transports well
Definition: Geotagging is placing GPS location information into a picture, confirming where and when it was captured.
High-quality, geotagged photos link each observation to a place and order. This creates chain-of-custody quality records that hold up in appraisal or court and minimise “that photo wasn’t from here” conflicts.
5) Incorporate third-party confirmation (news & public reports)
Definition: Third-party corroboration involves employing outside sources, such as official reports, radar information, or newspaper articles, to support your evidence.
When you hire a professional forensic structural engineer, they’ll gather all the local Storm Reports (NWS), local spotter reports, and reliable local media coverage to illustrate the storm’s footprint and timing. It is always helpful to have outside corroboration as it leads the claim with a proper public, time-stamped record.
6) Conduct owner questionnaires to capture context
Definition: An owner questionnaire is a pre-designed list of questions to obtain firsthand accounts from the property owner of the event and subsequent damage.
Short, formal, and structured interviews record sounds during the storm, new granules in gutters, first detected leaks, and changes after the storm. These observations account for why certain slopes or components exhibit more damage and differentiate the hail storm damage from old deterioration.
7) Confirms community indicators wherever applicable
Definition: Community indications are time-stamped, location-tagged accounts from the public, frequently from social media or neighbourhood forums that mark storm occurrence.
Wherever possible, licensed forensic engineers include public, time-stamped messages (and neighborhood alerts) that record hail size or length of occurrence close to your location. When paired with official data sources, these form a strong chronology of storm occurrence and its consequences.
8) Produce a state-stamped forensic engineering report
Definition: A forensic engineering report stamped by the state is an official, signed document sealed by a licensed Professional Engineer, rendering it admissible in insurance or legal situations.
If you live in Virginia, a sealed Virginia-compliant report brings it all together for you to prepare for a solid claim file: storm data, hail size from radar, field observations, mechanism of damage, repairability and extent. Sealing guarantees direct control, personal supervision, and accountability, and that’s why carriers and courts pay more attention to it than a usual contractor estimate.
What this means for homeowners when they file a claim
- Clarity on coverage: A defensible Date of Loss linked to official data makes coverage discussions straightforward.
- Defensible scope: MRMS/MESH and research-based damage criteria justify whether you’re looking at spot repairs or full-slope replacement.
- Less friction: Geotagged photos + public storm records reduce adjuster pushback and speed up resolution.
- Litigation-ready: A forensic engineering consulting report that meets Virginia sealing rules holds up under deposition or cross-examination.
Most Reliable Forensic Structural Engineers - A Step in Time Structural Engineering
We specialize in Forensic Engineering services, offering Hail Damage Roof Inspection, Hail Damage Assessment, and Storm Damage Assessments to homeowners in Virginia. Each roof inspection following a hail storm is performed with claim-grade documentation and can be upgraded to a state-stamped engineering report as required.
Our founder, Mr. Raymond Gessner, is a licensed professional engineer certified to work across multiple states in the US, including Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Washington D.C., North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Oregon, and Washington. With years of professional experience, he, along with a team of experienced engineers, helps homeowners in Virginia and other states get a state-stamped forensic engineering report that counts as valid proof when you file a claim.
Think you need a forensic engineer to prepare a stamped report for hailstorm damage? Call us now at (605) 467 – 7328 to schedule an appointment.
