INDIANA — Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is taking legal action against several companies accused of exploiting Hoosiers recovering from the historic August storms, including businesses operating in Northwest Indiana.
According to information released by the Attorney General’s Office, four lawsuits have been filed and two Civil Investigative Demands have been issued as part of the state’s response to alleged deceptive practices following the storms.
Several of the cases involve tree-removal companies that moved into storm-damaged communities where residents were dealing with fallen trees and urgently needed cleanup services.
One lawsuit targets TimberCut Tree Experts, LLC, which the state alleges performed post-storm tree removal in Griffith without the town’s required business license despite advertising itself as “Licensed & Insured.” The Attorney General alleges the conduct violated Indiana’s Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and is seeking restitution, civil penalties and injunctive relief.
A separate lawsuit was filed against Shade Tree Service Co. The Attorney General alleges the company also performed tree-removal work in Griffith without securing the required local business license. The state alleges providing the unlicensed services during a declared emergency constituted deceptive conduct under Indiana law.
Another case involves Garrison McKinney Tree and Bridge Services LLC, which the Attorney General alleges lacked necessary authority and contractor licenses while performing emergency tree removal. The state also alleges the company charged excessive prices, including $35,000 to remove two trees, and used contracts that failed to provide protections required under Indiana law.
The fourth lawsuit names Storm Support Emergency Tree Removal, LLC and David Foster. According to the Attorney General’s allegations, the company contracted with multiple Indiana homeowners for storm-damaged tree removal and, for some consumers, lacked required licensing. The state alleges customers were not given estimates or told the price before signing contracts and were instead told the company worked with homeowners’ insurance providers.
After the work was completed, some consumers allegedly received bills thousands of dollars higher than anticipated and substantially beyond what their insurance would cover. The Attorney General alleges the practices violated both the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and Indiana Home Improvement Contracts Act.
The Attorney General’s Office has also issued Civil Investigative Demands involving two Northwest Indiana businesses.
One involves the Baymont by Wyndham Merrillville, where the office says a consumer complained that the hotel charged for allegedly uninhabitable rooms, changed room rates during the declared emergency and failed to provide items normally expected during a hotel stay, including towels and sheets. The CID is seeking information to determine whether the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act was violated.
Another CID involves High Canopy LLC, a tree service the Attorney General says appeared to have operated without a license in Highland, used a contract that may violate Indiana’s Home Improvement Contracts Act and charged fees that appeared excessive compared with the work performed and the number of hours required.
The actions come after the Attorney General and his outreach team traveled extensively through storm-damaged areas. Rokita’s office reports the Attorney General traveled more than 3,400 miles and visited 21 communities, while his outreach team traveled nearly 8,000 miles, visited 44 communities and knocked on more than 750 doors.
The Attorney General is urging storm victims to be cautious when hiring contractors, verify local licensing and bonding requirements, obtain multiple estimates and insist on written contracts. Residents are also warned against paying the full cost upfront or using wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency or cash.
Under Indiana law, home-improvement contracts exceeding $150 generally must be in writing and include the total price, description of the work, approximate start and completion dates and whether subcontractors will be used.
Residents who believe they were victimized by a storm-related scam can file a report with the Indiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or call 1-800-382-5516.
The allegations contained in the lawsuits and investigative demands have not been proven in court, and the companies and individuals named are presumed to have acted lawfully unless and until violations are established through the legal process.
