This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1984. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
The Meridian Square Shopping Center, including the VIP Cleaners dry cleaning operation, was built in 1984 and operated continuously at this Puyallup property. Chlorinated solvent contamination — principally tetrachloroethene (PCE) — was discovered in the onsite septic system in the late 1990s, prompting TPCHD involvement and identifying the dry cleaner as the contamination source. Cleanup activities have included UST removal, excavation of 29 tons of contaminated soil, septic system decommissioning, discontinuation of dry-cleaning operations, and multi-year operation of a soil vapor extraction system; groundwater contamination continues to be addressed through monitoring well installation, biological degradation product injections, and ongoing monitoring. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
Why Historical Insurance Policies May Be Accessible
Pre-1986 Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies were occurrence-based and did not contain an effective pollution exclusion in Washington. If contamination occurred while those policies were active, those historical insurance carriers may still have a legal obligation to fund the cleanup costs, even if the business closed or the property changed hands.
The dry cleaning operation responsible for this contamination began in 1984, just two years before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies routinely added effective pollution exclusions. PCE releases of this type — slow, subsurface, and discovered years after they originated — fall squarely within the occurrence triggers of pre-1986 CGL policies. The documented remediation costs at this site, spanning UST removal, soil excavation, vapor extraction, septic decommissioning, and multi-year groundwater treatment, represent expenditures that historical carriers whose policies were in effect during the 1984–1986 window may be obligated both to recover and to continue funding.
Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful coverage claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage. Restorical then manages the claim, including accounting, to ensure the cleanup is funded in a timely manner.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
Ready to learn more?
Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
