Hurricane Dorian Damage Insurance Claims
Hurricane Dorian is currently threatening the Florida coastline. If it makes landfall, this hurricane will have highly damaging winds that can send debris flying through city streets. For your safety, it’s recommended that you leave the area before the hurricane arrives. However, the powerful winds can cause serious property damage. Often, entire buildings can be destroyed. If this tragedy happens to you, what can you do? Let’s look at how your hurricane lawyer will handle a hurricane damage claim.
Types Of Property Damage
First, let’s talk about some of the types of property damage that you can expect to receive as part of a hurricane. First, the hurricane will produce strong winds. This can lift and move smaller pieces of debris at a high speed. This can smash windows or destroy items in your backyard. Also, it can destroy weaker buildings, like sheds. In addition, lighter items, like trampolines or toys, might be carried away in a gust of wind.
Water damage is also commonly associated with hurricanes. As the storm gathers over the seas, it picks up a large amount of water. As it moves over the land, it dumps this water. This can result in very heavy rainfall. Depending on where you live, you might also experience storm surge. These effects can cause severe damage to your property. For example, water can get into electric items, like televisions, destroying them. Also, mud and dirt might get washed into the property. This can ruin flooring and damage furniture. Now that we understand the most common types of damage that you can expect after a hurricane, let’s look at how you should handle the insurance claim.
Filing A Claim
When you return to your home after a hurricane, the scale of damage can be overwhelming. Thankfully, if you purchased hurricane insurance, you should be able to claim damages. This money will allow you to start repairing the damage. However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you get everything that you are entitled to. First, you need to make sure to take pictures of the damage. You should do this as soon as you arrive back at the property. Also, take as many pictures as possible. Your hurricane lawyer might use them as evidence in your court case. You should also go through the home and make a note of everything that was damaged in the hurricane. It’s important to make this list as thorough as possible. Often, if you forget to list something, you won’t be able to include it on your claim. Finally, you shouldn’t clean the property. Though you might need to rent a hotel for a few days, you will be better able to show your situation to an insurance assessor. This will let them better understand your situation. The next step is to contact your property damage lawyer.
Contacting Your Lawyer
Once you’ve finished assessing the property damage you should contact your hurricane lawyer. Try to do this as quickly as possible. This will ensure that your memory of the damaged areas is as clear as possible. It will also allow them to start preparing the paperwork. The quicker this task is complete, the faster you will be able to get compensated for the damages you’ve received.
During the initial meeting, you should discuss the state of your home and any property that was damaged in the hurricane. Your property insurance claim lawyer should also inform you of your legal rights. For example, they will be able to look at your insurance claim for you. This can tell them the maximum amount of damages that you will be able to receive. In addition, they can start communicating with the insurance company on your behalf. Your property damage lawyer will also consider the amount of evidence that you have. For example, they might request that you take additional photos to help you strengthen your case. Once they’ve got all the paperwork in order, they will be able to file your claim.
After they file the claim, an assessor will attend your property. They will then assess the damage of the hurricane. For example, they will look at the value of the property that was lost or destroyed during the storm. They will also assess how much it will cost to repair some items. They will then use this information to determine the total amount of damage that you received during the hurricane. Often, it can take a while before they reach their decision on how much you will receive. While you wait, you can return to the property and start to clean it up. Once the assessor has made their decision, your insurance claim will be paid. You can then use these funds to repair your property and replace any items that might have been damaged during the storm. While many insurance companies will try to make this process as simple as possible, some might not act in your best interest. Thankfully, you can use a property damage lawyer to make sure that you get the full amount that you are entitled to.
Insurance Companies Acting In Bad Faith
It can be frustrating if your insurance company doesn’t want to pay you the right amount of compensation. Often, they do this to try to save the company money. If everyone gets paid the full amount, the insurance company might make a loss. There are a few ways that the insurance company can try to save money. First, they might pay you less than the damages you’ve received. Alternatively, they might try to delay the payment, making you wait a long time before you receive compensation. Finally, they might try to deny the payment. If they do this, you might not get any money at all. Thankfully, our team of property insurance claim lawyers is skilled at handling these types of cases. We will be able to fight these insurance companies to get you the compensation that you deserve. Let’s look at some of the ways that we can do this.
First, we have the legal experience to make your insurance claim as strong as possible. For example, we will make sure that you provide plenty of evidence to support your claims. This will help reduce the chances that your claim will be rejected. It will also give you a higher chance of winning your case when you decide to appeal the decision made by the insurance company. In addition, during the assessment process, we will be able to talk to representatives from the insurance company for you. Sometimes, the insurance company will contact you and ask you questions about the accident. When this occurs, they will be looking for evidence that the damage isn’t as bad as you first reported. They have multiple inquires that they might use to try and trip you up. Anything you say during these conversations can be used as evidence in court. For this reason, you should direct any calls to your hurricane damage lawyer. They will be able to provide any information the insurance company needs, without giving them anything that could be used to weaken your claim or damage your case.
When you hire one of our property insurance claim lawyers, we can evaluate your case for you. This can help us determine if you’ve been fairly compensated by your insurance company. If we decide that the insurance company has acted in bad faith, we can appeal their judgment. Then, our experienced legal team will be able to act on your behalf to ensure that you get the full amount that you are entitled to. This can often be a complex area of law. For example, we will need to look at the contract that you signed with your insurance company. This may determine the kind of compensation that you are entitled to and the maximum amount that you can receive on your claim. Often, we will be able to settle the matter outside of court. This will help you get your money faster. It will also help the insurance company avoid any negative public relations. However, if we have to, we are prepared to go to court.
Conclusion
Hurricanes can be highly dangerous. For your safety, if you are in the natural disaster's path you should leave your property and possessions behind. This will ensure that you are family will be safe from the storm. However, it can be highly upsetting when you return to find your property has been damaged or destroyed. Thankfully, if you have hurricane insurance, you will be protected financially. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale team can help you prepare your claim. This will ensure that you get the maximum amount that you are entitled to. We can also help if your insurance company acts in bad faith, trying to reduce or deny you the compensation that you are entitled to. So, contact The Injury Firm today to learn more about how we can help you recover after Hurricane Dorian.
