In early 2022, Robert Burgner of Veedersburg hired Jeremy Swenson’s SwenCrest, LLC to repair his house and garage, signing a $25,286.75 contract that swapped a 2005 Ford F-350 for labor.
Swenson promised manufactured roof trusses, but by July 2022 the supplier had cancelled the order due to an unpaid balance, and the trusses never arrived. Burgner later found Swenson building makeshift trusses in his own backyard.
The couple terminated the contract in June 2023, sued Swenson and his wife, and the trial court awarded them $82,020.08, citing breach, fraud, faulty workmanship, and unpaid permits.
The Indiana Court of Appeals, in a memorandum decision on Oct. 26, 2026, reversed the lower court’s refusal to pierce the corporate veil, holding Swenson personally liable for the fraud.
Swenson’s personal liability means the Burgners can now seek damages directly from him, and the ruling may influence how Indiana courts treat contractor fraud in future cases.