With steadily occurring natural disasters, owning property comes at significant risk. A badly damaged home or business can easily put you at serious risk of losing not just your investment, but your hard-earned standard of living. If you have been a victim of property damage, when should you hire a lawyer and when should you work directly with your insurance company?
In the aftermath of a bad accident on your property, it can be hard to know when you need legal help. Dealing with insurance companies can be a struggle, too. Their rules are often stringent and highly specific, leading to frustrations with policyholders who are simply attempting to recover damages in good faith. So when are you supposed to hire an attorney?
If you own property that’s been damaged because of a natural accident or an accident caused by someone else’s wrongful acts, a seasoned property damage lawyer can help improve your odds of coming out of the situation with the largest amount of recovered damages possible.
Use the points outlined here to decide when to hire an attorney for a property damage claim.
What Kinds of Property Damage Can Be Recovered
In states across the country, homeowners are deeply concerned about hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. This can hardly be considered unreasonable when such disasters cost victims $91 billion in 2018 alone.
On top of the natural disasters currently plaguing the planet, there are also unfortunate cases of human-caused property damage. Theft, vandalism, and damage due to construction or vehicle accidents are all potential hazards when you own property.
A property damage claim can extend to any insured property including cars, boats, airplanes, art, collector’s items, and more. However, the most likely situation that would warrant a property damage lawyer is damage to a home or business. An insurer should cover any sort of accidental damage that can’t be attributed to the property owner’s negligence.
This includes but is not limited to:
- Hurricane damage
- Tornado damage
- Wind damage
- Flooding damage
- Mold damage
- Fallen tree damage
- Storm damage
- Fire and smoke damage
- Hail damage
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Damage to a property due to an auto accident
- Sinkhole damage
Despite this, your insurance company is likely betting you don’t fully understand your policy and will deny your claim if they believe you won’t fight back. On top of all that, the claims adjusters who work for the insurance company won’t give you the benefit of the doubt when evaluating the damage.
How a Lawyer Can Help
Homeowner’s insurance and business insurance are intended to help you recover from losses, including property damage, lawsuits, and lost income.
That being said, insurance companies make more profits by denying as many coverage areas or claims as they’re able. Their bottom line is determined by avoiding paying out for damages, ones that are often covered by rights, according to their policies.
Unfortunately, policyholders are not on a level playing field. Insurance companies have teams of lawyers who know the system inside and out. They will often use loopholes, low-ball offers, and delaying tactics to get you to settle for an amount that is far less than your damages are worth.
Be careful when considering accepting an offer, particularly initially. Once you accept an offer your ability to recover more is either limited or eliminated.
Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner, or investor, we want to help you seek the maximum amount possible. We can assist you with properly documenting all damages and help you get your claim in order. If insurers decide to put up a fight, we know all the tricks they use and the arguments to counter them.
When to Fight Back Against a Claim Denial
If an insurance company denies your claim, you will need to fight back. This is when you should hire an attorney. Seeking the help of a seasoned property damage attorney is a good way to increase your chances of succeeding.
When your damages are properly documented and your claim has solid evidence to support it, an insurance company is far more likely to settle for an amount that suits your needs. If the insurance company refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, there’s the chance you could litigate your case, meaning evidence becomes even more important.
If the insurance company is unwilling to compromise reasonably, a property damage lawyer should be ready to fight for the coverage you need in a lawsuit. We have a history of fighting and winning cases for our clients, and we are prepared to fight for you in your property damage case.
If you’re unsure whether or not your property damage case is worth fighting, give us a call at (800) 560-5059 or contact us online. We can discuss the details of your damages at no risk or cost to you. We also offer a free 10-point property inspection provided by local experts.
Steinger, Greene & Feiner is a trusted firm with property damage lawyers across the country. We can help you come out of this difficult time, with the hope that your home or business may still be recoverable. Give us a call today, and we can get you on the path to recovery as soon as possible.
Steinger, Greene & Feiner have decades of experience helping the victims deal with stubborn insurance companies and negligent parties. Call an experienced property damage lawyer near you at (800) 560-5059 or contact us online. We can go over the details of your property damage case at no cost or risk to you during a free initial case review and let you know if now is when you should hire an attorney.
About the Author
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients.
He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels.
Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients. He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels. Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.