Should I Hire a Lawyer for Property Damage After a Storm?
Yes, you should hire a lawyer for property damage caused by a storm if you want to improve your chances of securing the money you need to complete repairs. A Louisiana hurricane damage lawyer can explain the steps you need to take to file an insurance claim and clearly explain your losses.
An attorney can also assist if the insurance company denies your initial claim. Having a lawyer on your side means you’ll have someone to stand up for you, protect your rights, and answer all the questions you have after a storm.
Why Should You Hire a Property Damage Lawyer After a Storm?
Hiring an attorney after a storm damages your commercial or residential property means you do not have to face the insurance company alone. Your attorney will represent your best interests, pushing back on unfair deals and increasing your chances of getting the funds you need to make a full financial recovery.
A lawyer can provide the following services:
Explain Your Next Steps
Many property owners feel uncertain about what to do to get the money they need to make repairs after a major storm, like a hurricane. Fortunately, a Louisiana insurance claims lawyer can provide exact information about what to do if your property was damaged in a hurricane or another storm.
For example, a lawyer may advise you to:
- Make a detailed list of all the property damaged in the storm.
- Collect before-and-after pictures of your property.
- Keep a record of any money paid to repair the property.
The more information you collect about the damage, the stronger your lawyer can make your insurance claim.
Deal with the Insurance Company
Communication with the insurance company handling your property damage claim can become complicated. Insurance representatives could use anything you say against you and try to convince you to accept a settlement that does not fully cover your losses.
You can rely on an attorney to take over all communication to build your claim and protect your right to compensation.
Help After an Insurance Denial
Sometimes, insurance companies deny requests for compensation after a storm. You do not have to simply accept a denial.
Instead, you can rely on your lawyer to review your situation to determine if the company simply needs more information or if they issued a bad-faith denial. Your attorney can contest some denials, pushing to make the insurance company reconsider.
A Lawyer Can Help You Get Compensation
You should hire an attorney for property damage after a storm if you want help getting a fair amount of compensation from the insurance company. Insurance companies generally do not want to pay anything out to their policyholders. They want to make money instead and could try to undercut the value of your claim if you do not have legal representation.
Fortunately, an attorney can review your losses and determine a fair value for your claim. Depending on your situation, a lawyer could help you get the funds you need to pay for repairs to the foundation, structure, or roof of any damaged building.
A lawyer could also help you get funds to cover damaged or destroyed possessions, depending on the scope of your insurance policy.
Will Your Insurance Cover All Damage Caused by a Storm?
The extent of the damage covered by your insurance company will depend on the terms of your policy. You must have a valid insurance policy in place before sustaining storm damage to qualify for funds to cover the costs of repairs.
Additionally, most basic policies in Louisiana will not cover flood damage. However, property owners have the option to purchase additional flood insurance, which can provide compensation after damage caused by rising water.
Hiring an attorney means you’ll have someone on your side who can review all of your insurance policies and provide detailed information about the reimbursement you paid for and deserve to get.
Hiring a Lawyer Can Expedite Your Claim
Insurance companies often try to drag out and delay paying claims. Your lawyer can counter these strategies, reducing the overall time you have to wait to get compensation for the cost of property repairs.
However, you can still expect the claims process to take a significant amount of time. Even with the help of a legal professional, insurance claims may take months to fully resolve. The faster you reach out to an attorney, the faster you can get the money you need to move forward after a storm.
Talk to Us About a Storm Damage Claim in Louisiana
So, should you hire a lawyer for property damage after a storm? The decision about whether or not to get legal help rests in your hands, but choosing to hire an attorney can have numerous benefits.
Our team at Laborde Earles knows how to handle storm damage claims for our neighbors in Louisiana. We have over 350 years of combined experience that we can apply to your situation, shifting our services to meet your unique needs.
You can reach out to us 24/7 for the help you deserve after a storm.
