Stutman Law recently recovered $675,000.00 in a case involving a spontaneous combustion fire that occurred during the course of a flooring renovation project. The fire marshal listed the cause of the fire as undetermined. However, conducting its own in-depth investigation, Stutman Law established that the fire was caused by the spontaneous ignition of waste materials improperly left at the jobsite by the flooring contractor. As a result of its immediate involvement and meticulous investigation, Stutman Law was able to preserve the critical evidence establishing that the flooring contractor had failed to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings with respect to proper disposal of materials soiled with the polyurethane floor finish used on the job. The physical evidence collected by Stutman Law’s experts contradicted the contractor’s claim that all materials soiled with the polyurethane had been discarded in sealed metal containers. Based on the physical evidence and use of expert testimony, Stutman Law was able to eliminate every other potential ignition source of the fire, leaving spontaneous combustion as the only plausible explanation. The flooring contractor’s insurance company, which originally denied liability for the fire, ultimately settled the case in advance of trial.