-WJLA SCRIPT-

ANCHOR:

A VIRGINIA MAN TAKES ON AN INTERNATIONAL BUILDING SUPPLY COMPANY... AND WINS. HE DID IT WITH THE REPUTATION AND CLOUT OF OUR "7 ON YOUR SIDE" TEAM. ROSS MCLAUGHLIN IS HERE WITH THE STORY... ROSS?

ROSS MCLAUGHLIN:

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FIGHTING TO RECOVER DAMAGES FROM A SHINGLE SUPPLIER CALLED CERTAINTEED BUT A LONE MAN IN VIRGINIA WAS ABLE TO GET RESULTS BY GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP WITH A LITTLE PUSH FROM 7 ON YOUR SIDE AND SOME TIME..IT WAS SPRING WHEN WE FIRST GOT INVOLVED.

STORY:

WE HAD TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY OUT TO BOSTON, VIRGINIA. 

Ross: "Yeah, that looks bad."
Shawn: "Yes it does." 

TO GET A FIRST HAND LOOK AT THIS ROOF. 

Martin Abbene: "It stinks." 

MARTIN ABBENE'S OBVIOUSLY FRUSTRATED WITH HIS 7 YEAR OLD ROOF...WHY? 

Martin Abbene: "It's all stained. It looks like a roof that's been on there for 25 years." 

HE PAID THOUSANDS FOR CERTAINTEED SHINGLES, THAT WERE GUARANTEED TO LAST... 

Ross: "Yeah, let's get up there and take a look." 

SOMETHING'S WRONG. OVER HERE... WE CAN SEE THE PROBLEM. 

Ross: "This discoloration right here you're talking about? This looks like it's eroded here." 

THAT'S WHY HE'S UPSET, AND HE WANTS SOMETHING DONE. 

Martine Abbene: "Blowing me off, totally." 

BECAUSE IN TWO SEPARATE LETTERS, THE COMPANY DENIED HIS CLAIM...STATING THE SHINGLES CONTAIN NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. BUT...WE DISCOVERED SEVERAL LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED AGAINST CERTAINTEED OVER SOME OF IT'S SHINGLES. 

Clayton Halunen/Class Action Attorney (on the phone Minneapolis, MN): "This is a huge problem. We've received an overwhelming number of calls from consumers everywhere. There are tens of thousands of people that are affected that have these shingles and what we found out is over time the shingles would break down due to just general weather conditions." 

ATTORNEY CLAYTON HALUNEN IS NOW SEEKING A CLASS ACTION SUIT. IN THE MEANTIME, MR. ABBENE SENT A LETTER TO THE HEAD OF CERTAINTEED'S PARENT COMPANY STATING...HE WOULD MAKE IT HIS PERSONAL MISSION TO INFORM EVERYONE REFERRING TO 7 ON YOUR SIDE IN DC. 

Martin Abbene: "Well I'd like you to run it on 7 on your side to see if we can get this company to guarantee the roof."
Ross: "You want them to stand behind the product.

ROSS IN STUDIO:

THEY HAVE.. CERTAINTEED'S PR GUY TOLD US A CHECK WAS SENT TO FIX THE ROOF BUT HE WOULDN'T SAY HOW MUCH. AS FOR THE CLASS ACTION SUITS WE'RE TOLD MARTIN ABBENE'S SHINGLES ARE A DIFFERENT TYPE THAN THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING COMPENSATION AND THAT CERTAINTEED NO LONGER MAKES THE THEM.

WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE CONSUMER INVESTIGATIONS ON "INSIDE 7 ON YOUR SIDE" LIVE AT 8:30PM ON OUR SISTER STATION, NEWSCHANNEL 8. IT'S A LIVE SHOW AND YOUR CHANCE TO CALL IN. 

MORE INFORMATION:

CertainTeed's Response 

Learn more about the class action suits. 

 

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