The Norman family—Stephanie, Kenneth, and Kendralynn Norman—filed the lawsuit in April 2025 claiming $5 million in damages from alleged mold contamination at their Tampa apartment that they say occurred in November 2019. The family reported finding mold throughout their rented unit at 7009 Interbay Boulevard, including on walls, windows, and air conditioning components, and claimed the contamination damaged personal property including Balenciaga scarves, designer bags, and other household items.
USAA argues the lawsuit is time-barred under Florida's five-year statute of limitations for property insurance claims. The insurer notes in its motion that 'Plaintiff filed the instant breach of contract action against Defendant on April 17, 2025, five years and five months after the date of loss for the underlying claim.' Under Florida Statute § 95.11(2)(b) and § 95.11(2)(e), insurance breach of contract actions must be filed within five years of the date of loss, which USAA says expired on November 15, 2024.
The company's engineers found no evidence supporting the family's claims, with structural engineer Thomas Fisher concluding that 'there was a lack of evidence of water and/or mold damage to any personal property.' Fisher's report noted that while minor water damage appeared beneath the kitchen sink, 'the minor water seepage observed beneath the kitchen sink is not a likely source of widespread mold growth throughout the subject residence and would not be expected to cause mold damage to personal property items located elsewhere within the subject unit.'
The case sat dormant for four years after the Normans first reported the claim in January 2020. According to USAA's corporate representative Casey Blanton, the family 'failed to pursue the claim for four years after the first reporting of the claim.' It wasn't until May 2024 that Stephanie Norman contacted USAA again, telling the insurer that 'all the furniture had been thrown [out]' and 'she does not have any receipts for the items.'
USAA contends the Normans cannot prove their case because they've failed to identify any covered peril under their named-peril renter's policy. The motion argues that 'Plaintiffs consistently attribute their alleged loss to mold contamination, not to a specific, identifiable water event' and that 'mold is not an enumerated covered peril.' The company notes that at the initial report, the Normans 'expressly stated that they did not know the source of the mold, offering only speculation about possible HVAC issues, seepage, or plumbing problems.'
The family's damages claim has also drawn scrutiny from USAA, which notes the Normans provided no computation supporting their $5 million figure and included non-recoverable damages like emotional distress and punitive damages. The insurer points out that 'Plaintiffs have produced no contemporaneous evidence demonstrating the condition or value of the alleged personal property at the time of the claimed loss,' noting that photos of two Balenciaga scarves weren't submitted until February 2025—more than five years after the alleged loss.
The case highlights the challenges faced by pro se litigants in complex insurance disputes. The Normans, representing themselves, have struggled to provide the documentation typically required in property damage cases, including receipts, proof of ownership, and evidence linking specific covered perils to their claimed losses. The family moved out of the apartment in January 2020 and discarded the allegedly damaged property, making inspection and verification impossible.