Hurricane Beryl created a nightmare scenario for many Houston residents, including a single mother.
Reagan Wyck told KHOU 11, “This is the first house I’ve ever bought on my own, and I’m 50 years old.” “This is for me and my daughters. I worked very hard to get this house. To watch it decimated in a couple of seconds is beyond words.”
Wyck described how a violent storm forced a large pine tree from adjacent land to break through her home.
“I jumped out of the bed and hugged that wall,” Wyck told me. “Literally hugged the wall, and everything came crashing down.”
She’s grateful to be alive, and her girls weren’t around when it happened. She’s unhappy about what she claims she discovered after taking a closer look at the tree. She stated that it was decaying, and she found evidence of a termite infestation.
“What I would like to do is hold this guy responsible for neglecting a tree that was clearly rotten and that devastated two families’ lives,” Wyck told CNN.
She mentioned that the lot’s LLC ownership has made it difficult for her to contact the owner.
“His name isn’t even on the property,” Wyck stated.
John Black of the Daly and Black legal firm emphasized that in Texas, if a tree from a neighbor’s lot falls into your home during a natural disaster, you are accountable. There is an exception.
“In situations where you think your neighbor did something wrong or failed to do something, which we call negligence, in those instances it may be your neighbor’s fault, at least partly,” Black explains.
When it comes to finding the individual behind the firm that owns the land, Black suggests visiting the Secretary of State’s website, where you may identify the registered agent for any LLC functioning in the state.
According to Black, “That’s the person that the company, the LLC, has designated as the person to receive notices.”
Black stated that the Secretary of State’s website should include an email, phone number, or address. You can use that information to try to find an owner and recover your fees.
