This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1951. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the multi-phase investigation and remediation work ahead under Wisconsin DNR oversight.
This property has been in continuous industrial use since at least 1951, with documented operations including metal stamping, optical device manufacturing, machine rebuilding and repair, printing, and adhesive production across multiple parcels. Chlorinated volatile organic compounds — including trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride — have been confirmed in groundwater at concentrations exceeding Wisconsin NR 140 Enforcement Standards, with the source identified as solvent degreaser use within the former manufacturing area. The groundwater plume extends off-site beneath a public right-of-way, and off-site monitoring wells show significantly higher concentrations than on-site wells, indicating active contaminant migration. The site is an open Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program case with investigation and remedial action planning underway. That history could support an insurance coverage claim against the carriers who issued policies more than 40 years ago — coverage that could help fund the cleanup ahead.
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 Wisconsin — and those policies may provide coverage that remains enforceable today. 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.
Industrial operations at this property began as early as 1951 and continued through the pre-1986 period, during which solvent degreasers used in manufacturing introduced chlorinated volatile organic compounds — including trichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride — into groundwater at concentrations exceeding Wisconsin NR 140 Enforcement Standards. The ongoing groundwater investigation, off-site plume delineation, remedial action planning, and long-term compliance monitoring required under the Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program represent substantial future costs that historical pre-1986 carriers may be obligated to fund.
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
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.