Property Storm Damage

Property Storm Damage

Was your property damaged by a recent Texas storm?

Property storm damage can be disruptive and expensive to repair. Texas storms don’t discriminate and can affect businesses and residential properties. In a severe storm, the resulting property damage can be severe and require expensive and time-consuming repairs.

In Dallas, the most common types of storms that result in storm damage involve:

• Hail storms
• Windstorms
• Hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Floods

Texas Hail Storms

Texas is home to the most major hail events and the most hail damage. According to the Insurance Information Institute, hail is the cause of about $1 billion in damage each year, but one hail storm that hit San Antonio in April 2016 reportedly resulted in $1.4 billion in insured losses—for one storm.

If you’ve experienced a hail storm in Texas, chances are you’ve suffered some property damage as a result. Hailstorms can be surprisingly dangerous and cause significant damage in a short time. Hail can come in many sizes. When it’s small, it doesn’t result in much harm, but some hail can be the size of golf balls or larger.

These large balls of ice come down from the sky at high rates of speed, and when they strike cars, roofs, windows, or landscaping, they can cause a significant amount of damage to houses and businesses alike.

Storm Damage Insurance Claim Settlements

If you submitted an insurance claim for storm damage, you may be subject to certain claim delaying or denial processes that prevent you from receiving a fair settlement. Insurance companies often are often accused of being more focused on boosting their profit margins than helping homeowners and business owners get the compensation necessary to repair damage caused by destructive storms.

Some insurers reportedly act in bad faith to deny or undervalue your insurance claim. Insurance adjusters can be very creative at finding ways to save money by undervaluing or denying claims. There are several reasons your storm damage claim may be undervalued or denied. You may be told that the storm damage is not covered under your policy, that the damage was preexisting, or that you waited too long to file your insurance claim for storm damage.

If your storm damage insurance claim is undervalued or denied, you may want to talk with a Texas storm damage lawyer to find out how you can fight for compensation. In many cases, a property owner may not be offered reasonable compensation to cover their expenses unless they hire a storm damage insurance lawyer to work on their behalf.

If your insurance company offers you a storm damage settlement, do not accept without first talking to a Texas storm damage lawyer. The storm damage lawyer will evaluate the settlement offer to determine if it is an acceptable offer and help you fight for the compensation your insurer is contractually obligated to pay.

Steps to Take Before Filing a Texas Storm Damage Lawsuit

In some cases, it may be necessary to file a storm damage lawsuit in Texas to get the compensation you’re entitled to under your insurance policy. Before you file a Texas storm damage lawsuit, there are certain steps that you need to take to protect yourself and ensure your claim is not denied.

1. File a storm damage claim with your insurance company. Follow their procedures for making a claim and cooperate with the insurance adjuster’s investigation of your claim. Failure to follow their procedures may result in an insurance claim denial and hurt your chances of bringing a successful lawsuit.
2. Keep Records. Keep records of everyone you communicate with about the damage to your property. Record the names of everyone from the insurance company you speak with, as well as the day and time of the communication.
3. Insurance Inspection. The insurance adjuster will inspect the property and present you with a damage assessment and an estimated cost of repairing the storm damage. Do not rely solely on the insurance company’s inspection when making a claim for damages. Insurance companies are typically driven to save money and will attempt to minimize the damage suffered (or claim the damage was present before the storm) in an attempt to pay you less than the company is contractually obligated to pay.
4. Hire Independent Inspector. Have a trained inspector take a look at the property and evaluate the extent of the storm damage. Although some damage, such as broken windows, missing shingles or cracked siding, may be visibly obvious, there may be hidden damage caused by the storm that can cause further issues. A trained inspector will identify less obvious but harmful issues such as hairline cracks that can cause serious problems down the road. The inspector can also provide an estimate of the cost needed to make the necessary repairs.
5. Protect the Property. In the meantime, take steps to protect the property from the elements until you are able to have the repairs made. Your insurance plan likely requires you to take temporary measures such as using a tarp to cover a hole in the roof or boarding up broken windows.
6. Make List of Repairs. Make a list of all the repairs necessary to address the issues caused by the storm, and keep track of all repairs and costs that are made. Keep all documentation about the cost of building materials, labor costs, and other expenses incurred while making repairs to the property.

If you are offered an insurance settlement, you should have it evaluated by a Texas storm damage lawyer before you accept it. Many initial settlement offers are low-ball offers that will not adequately compensate you for your expenses.

A storm damage lawyer can help you appeal your insurance company’s denial or undervaluing of your claim. If, after filing the appeal, the insurer still fails to offer adequate compensation, the storm damage lawyer can file a Texas storm damage lawsuit on your behalf to help you get the maximum amount of compensation to repair the damage.

Contact a Texas Storm Damage Insurance Lawyer

If you have suffered storm damage in a Texas hail storm, wind storm, hurricane, flood or any other sort of storm and you have not received a fair settlement from your insurance company, contact The Emma Law Firm to find out what you can do to help you get the compensation you may be entitled to receive.

Dallas area storm damage lawyer Michael Anthony Emma is experienced at working with insurance companies and fighting to get the maximum compensation needed to cover your damages.

The Emma Law Firm offers a FREE consultation in this type of legal matter. Fill out the form below for more information.