New Orleans Hurricane Laura & Delta Claims

New Orleans Hurricane Laura Damage Claim Lawyers

Fighting Insurance Companies for People Affected by Hurricane Laura

Meteorologists have estimated that Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana as the most powerful hurricane the region had seen in more than 150 years.  The widespread devastation left behind suggests the meteorologist estimations are accurate. Hurricane Delta following immediately after added to the mass destruction.

More than a dozen deaths have been attributed to the hurricane and the complications it caused later, such as knocking out power for thousands. An unknown but assumedly high number of structures have been totaled or significantly damaged by Hurricane Laura, too. Drones have been used throughout the state to survey the devastation.

To make the situation even worse, people now need to file property damage claims with their insurance providers who might not take each claim seriously. Historically, survivors of devastating hurricanes and powerful storms have encountered resistance from insurance providers due to the sheer number of claims filed in a brief period of time.

Insurers can be tempted to deny, undervalue, or delay claims to try to save their bottom line with so many pending claims. This is where The Chopin Law Firm LLC can step in and stand up for your rights as someone who has already lost too much in Hurricane Laura to also have to deal with insurance company interference as well.

We are proud Louisianans with an office in New Orleans but who provide legal representation to homeowners and business owners throughout our great State. Allow us to use our insight and experience to properly manage and progress your Hurricane Laura damage claim.

We are currently hearing from clients from some of the most damaged towns and regions, such as:

• Creole
• Deridder
• Rutherford Beach
• Grand Chenier
• Grand Lake
• Iowa
• Lacassine
• Hackberry
• Holly Beach
• Johnson Bayou
• Lake Charles

Steps to Take if You've Experienced Hurricane Damage

Hurricanes are some the most destructive storms, leaving heavy damage and devastation to cars, homes, and other valuable property in their wake. Whenever one of these mega-storms rips through an area, insurance companies are swarmed with claims as everyone tries to have their valuables repaired or replaced in the aftermath.

Because of this, it’s important to closely track your claim and make sure your insurance company is handling it properly. If you don’t, you may experience unnecessary delays in receiving your payout to get your home fixed, or perhaps only receive a portion of what your company should be required to pay.

How to Document Damage and File an Insurance Claim After a Hurricane

Here are six things you should do in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane to make sure your claim is properly handled and your repairs are done quickly:

Photograph the Damage

When it comes to an insurance claim, photographic evidence is perhaps the most valuable tool you have at your disposal. Pictures can tell a story far better than words in many situations, and the more you are able to take, the better prepared you will be to pursue the full value of your home insurance claim.

Make sure you thoroughly document all damage, including any lost property. While going through the damage in your home, take a running inventory of the damages as well—you will need it when you file your claim and throughout the process after. This includes your contents. Photograph all of your contents so you can prove the damages later.

Conduct Emergency Repairs

A home that’s damaged in a hurricane may sustain additional damage in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Things such as roof damage, holes in walls, and flooding can continue to wear and eat away at the structure of your home, form mold, and more.

This means you should do what you can to stop any of these immediate threats and prevent further damage from adding to your woes. Be careful though, you don’t want to repair too much on your home or you will risk potentially de-valuing your claim and your home won’t get repaired properly.

Wait until your insurance company sends out an adjustor to see what happened before you start your cleanup efforts in earnest.

Secure Your Important Possessions

Do you have an inventory of what you have in your home, such as:

• Furnishings
• Valuable electronics
• Jewelry
• Works of art
• And other important possessions

If not, you should really consider making one, keeping it updated regularly, and storing it in a safe place.

In the event of a major disaster, such as a hurricane, your homeowners’ insurance company will want to know what possessions you’re listing as part of your claim, and having this list ready and up-to-date can ensure your claim is handled quickly and that you don’t accidentally leave out anything valuable you might have lost. Having receipts or the proof of value of those items with that list is also a good idea.

Find Somewhere Safe to Live

If your home is uninhabitable, you’ll need to find somewhere to go where your family can live. If that means finding a nearby hotel, that might be what you have to do. Most homeowners’ insurance policies include “loss of use” in their coverages, and they will typically help pay for lodging, provided the damage is part of your hurricane claim.

Check your policy and make sure you have this coverage, and let your insurance company know where you are staying, how much it will cost, and that you are requesting temporary financial assistance with these costs while your home is uninhabitable.

Know Your Policy

Have you looked in detail at what’s in your homeowners’ policy? If not, you might be unpleasantly surprised to learn that some of your damage isn’t covered. The big culprit when it comes to hurricane damage isn’t always the wind or debris, but water damage.

Floods are particularly devastating to homes; but homeowners’ policies don’t actually cover flood damage. Make sure you have a flood policy. Finally, make sure you have this far in advance, as well; some insurance policies have a mandatory 30-day waiting period before filing flood damage claims.

File a Claim

Some insurance companies work on a first-come, first-serve basis and assign adjustors and agents to claims as they come in. If you submit your claim after the majority of other people have done so, you’ll probably be forced to wait a while for the ball to get rolling on your claim.

Therefore, it’s in your best interests to file your claim as soon as possible. However, if you can provide a little bit of extra information when filing your claim, your adjustor’s inspection will probably go more smoothly and your claim will proceed faster.

Know Your Hurricane Deductible

Hurricane deductibles are also another big surprise when it comes to storm victims. Hurricane deductibles are the amount you are required to pay out of pocket before your insurance company will start contributing for repairs, and can typically be about 5% of the total value of your home, meaning you might be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars!

Know your financial responsibilities when it comes to your policy and you’ll be ready in the event you have to file a claim.

What Can Our Hurricane Laura Damage Claim Attorneys Handle for You?

Property damage claims are practically designed to not be easy for the policyholder. In the wake of a hurricane as powerful as Hurricane Laura, matters are likely to be even more complicated when filing a property damage claim.

Give yourself a break from all the busywork and stress by allowing our Hurricane Laura damage lawyers to manage your claim for you.

Give yourself a break from all the busywork and stress by allowing our Hurricane Laura damage lawyers to manage your claim for you.

When we represent you, we would be happy to do the following and more:

• Review your claim to ensure your policy includes damage caused by Hurricane Laura. Some policies have loopholes that exclude certain types of damage, such as paneling torn off in a gale. When a policy has unreasonable exclusions, we might be able to challenge it as a one-sided agreement, which is legally problematic.
• File your claim with all necessary information filled out and before you miss the filing deadline. Our attorneys always thoroughly check all claims and applications for any possible errors to minimize the chances of denial or delay.
• Answer responses from the insurance company, which will likely want more information or verification of certain details before your claim is approved. We will also prepare for a claim denial early, so we can get your case moving quickly again.
• Use an appeal to reverse an unfair claim denial. If your claim was approved, but the insurer wants to pay you a lowballed amount, then we can challenge that decision as well.
• Move to litigation when an insurance company refuses to accept your claim despite its validity or will not offer a fair settlement to close your case. Our attorneys are always ready to go to court for our clients, especially when their cases involve something as life-changing as Hurricane Laura.