--- title: "Mechanical Engineering Expert Allowed to Opine on Hail Impacts" meta: "og:description": "The mechanical engineering expert will help the trier of fact determine whether Defendants breached the insurance agreement by denying coverage for the claimed hail damage" "og:title": "Mechanical Engineering Expert Allowed to Opine on Hail Impacts" author: "Shuva Guha Thakurta" description: "The mechanical engineering expert will help the trier of fact determine whether Defendants breached the insurance agreement by denying coverage for the claimed hail damage" --- # Mechanical Engineering Expert Allowed to Opine on Hail Impacts Posted on July 28, 2026 by Shuva Guha Thakurta This case concerns allegations of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of Plaintiff's claim under their homeowners insurance policy for damage caused by a hail storm occurring on August 14, 2017, and Defendants' denial of coverage. Plaintiffs sought to strike from consideration the expert report of [Jerry S. Dahl](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Jerry-Dahl/1577929), Defendant's engineering expert. Plaintiffs contended that the methods he used (to calculate the force of the hail impacts) are not reliable, that he used the wrong standard for identifying hail damage to manufactured siding, that he relied upon fabricated facts, and that he used the wrong wind speeds in his calculations. ![Mechanical Engineering Expert Allowed to Opine on Hail Impacts](https://media.jurimatic.com/images/Untitled_design_522.webp) ## **Mechanical Engineering Expert Witness** [Jerry Steven****Dahl](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Jerry-Dahl/1577929) is a licensed professional engineer who has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Physics degree, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with Specialty in Materials Science degree, and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree. [Want to know more about the challenges Jerry Dahl has faced? Get the full details with our Challenge Study report](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/order/add?eId=1577929&pId=3). ## **Discussion by the Court** On November 26, 2021, Dahl provided a report of his investigation of the claim of hail damage to the siding of Plaintiffs' home. The detailed report opined that the siding has not been damaged by hail. The report was "based on information available at the time that this report was prepared." On February 15, 2024, Dahl provided a supplement to the original forensic engineering report after review of documents provided by Plaintiffs during litigation, including counsel's objections to the original report. Following specific and detailed responses to plaintiffs' objections to the accuracy of the original report, Dahl concluded that the findings and opinions in the original report were unchanged. A second supplemental report was produced on November 25, 2024, to respond to plaintiffs' expert reports criticizing Dahl's reports. After extensive responses to Plaintiffs' criticisms, Dahl concluded that the findings and opinions in the original report are unchanged. On December 15, 2025, a third supplemental report was produced in response to Plaintiffs' motion to exclude Dahl's expert opinion and the claims made therein as to the deficiencies in Dahl's expert opinion. Again, after reviewing the Plaintiffs' claimed facts and deposition testimony, Dahl's findings and opinions in the original report were unchanged — the siding was not damaged during the 2017 hail storm. The record herein is extensive. The expert reports are extensive. The Court found that Defendants have demonstrated that it is more likely than not that Jerry Dahl's expert knowledge will help the trier of fact understand the evidence and determine whether Defendants breached the insurance agreement by denying coverage for the claimed hail damage to the siding of Plaintiffs' home. The Court found that the findings and opinions are based upon sufficient facts as they have evolved during discovery. The Court also found that the findings and opinions are the product of reliable and acceptable methods of determining the expert's conclusions and that such conclusions reflect a reliable application of methods used to the evolving facts claimed to have arisen during litigation. ## **Held** The Court denied the motion to exclude the expert findings and opinions of Jerry Dahl. ## **Key Takeaway** The Court found that Jerry Dahl's findings and opinions are reliable and admissible. The jury can decide which side's experts to credit after hearing competing evidence and cross-examination. ## **Case Details:** | Case Caption: | Becvar Et Al V. Imt Insurance Company | | --- | --- | | Docket Number: | 5:23cv5055 | | Court Name: | United States District Court, South Dakota | | Order Date: | July 21, 2026 | --- ## **You Might Also Like** ![Economics Expert Allowed to Opine on Toy Sales](https://media.jurimatic.com/images/Untitled_design_531.webp) [**Economics Expert Allowed to Opine on Toy Sales**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/mechanical-engineering-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-hail-impacts/economics-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-toy-sales)![Mechanical Engineering Expert Allowed to Opine on Hail Impacts](https://media.jurimatic.com/images/Untitled_design_522.webp) [**Mechanical Engineering Expert Allowed to Opine on Hail Impacts**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/mechanical-engineering-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-hail-impacts/mechanical-engineering-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-hail-impacts)![Law And Legal Expert Was Allowed to Opine on Claims Handling Customs ](https://media.jurimatic.com/images/Expert_Witness_Profiler1.webp) [**Law And Legal Expert Was Allowed to Opine on Claims Handling Customs **](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/mechanical-engineering-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-hail-impacts/law-and-legal-expert-was-allowed-to-opine-on-claims-handling-customs-)![Psychology Expert's Testimony About PICS Limited](https://media.jurimatic.com/images/blog_pic_640X4801.webp) [**Psychology Expert's Testimony About PICS Limited**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/mechanical-engineering-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-hail-impacts/psychology-experts-testimony-about-pics-limited)![Finance Expert Allowed to Opine on Damages and Disgorgement](https://media.jurimatic.com/images/blog_pic_640X480_2026_07_23T203933_056.webp) [**Finance Expert Allowed to Opine on Damages and Disgorgement**](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/mechanical-engineering-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-hail-impacts/finance-expert-allowed-to-opine-on-damages-and-disgorgement)