Insurer nets defense verdict utilizing engineer’s expert testimony

An insurance company obtained a defense verdict in its favor after two homeowners sued for damages. Its attorney says this is partially because of an engineer’s expert testimony.

The defendant in the case was the Farm Bureau Town and Country Insurance Company of Missouri and was represented by Alexa Lester of Watters Wolf Bub & Hansmann in St. Louis.

The company was sued by Patrick and Amie Tilk, who sought compensation from the company after discovering interior water damage in their home as well as shingle damage. They claimed wind and hail damage, Lester said.

The Tilks were represented by David Knieriem of Law Offices of David C. Knieriem in St. Louis who did not respond to a request for comment.

“They argued that it was hail and wind damage that then resulted in some interior damage, but we argued that it was not storm-related,” Lester said.

The case was tried before a jury in St. Charles and Lester said she cross-examined one of the plaintiffs who testified about how they discovered the damage and the timeframe of the storm compared to when they found the damage, she said. After this, Lester put a structural engineer on the stand as an expert witness who then testified for hours.

“He had to describe for several hours the type of water staining he was seeing on the inside of the house and basically described for the jury how it was not storm-related, and (…) how different it would have looked if it had been caused by a storm,” she said.

These cases are harder to win with a jury because jurors tend to be sympathetic to homeowners, Lester added.

“Expert witness testimony is critical in these cases, just to have somebody who is able to explain to the jury the scientific elements of it,” Lester said.

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Amount of verdict, judgment or settlement: Defense Verdict

Type of action: Contracts/Other

Venue: St. Charles County Circuit Court

Case Number/Date: 2111-CC00873 / 10/29/2025

Judge: Christopher W. McDonough

Injuries: Home damage

Last Pretrial Demand: $65,000

Last Pretrial Offer: $5,000

Caption: Patrick and Amie Tilk v. Farm Bureau Town and Country Insurance Company of Missouri

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: David Knieriem of Law Offices of David C. Knieriem in St. Louis, MO.

Defendants’ Attorneys: Alexa Lester of Watters Wolf Bub & Hansmann in St. Louis, MO.