Residential Storm Damage Attorney

Dealing with storm damage can be overwhelming, and the last thing you need after a natural disaster is another disaster, an insurance company denying or low balling the true value of your claims. As a policyholder, you have paid your premiums diligently, expecting your insurance company to provide support when disaster strikes. However, at this most critical time, your insurer may fail to honor its obligations, leaving you to navigate the challenges alone. This is when the services of an experienced storm damage attorney can make a difference to your financial recovery. Our primary focus is weather-related property damage claims

At Vishio, Watkins & Forry, PLLC, we are committed to representing insurance policyholders who are facing delayed, underpaid, or wrongfully denied claims in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and nationwide. Having previously represented insurance companies in storm damage disputes, and having handled thousands of these claims, we are intimately familiar with the strategies they use against our clients today. Our practice is dedicated to representing property owners in insurance disputes over weather-related damage. We’re here to advocate for you at every stage of your storm damage insurance claim, from communicating with insurance adjustors to negotiating for the best possible settlement or, if necessary, fighting for your rights in court. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Experienced Legal Representation for Storm Damage Insurance Claims

When a storm damages your residential property, your insurance company may be contractually obligated to compensate you for your losses. As you may have unfortunately found out, insurance companies are good at taking your money, but not so good in paying the full value of what are supposed to be covered claims. Our law firm represents policyholders across the United States, helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the claims process and pursue the coverage they are entitled to under their insurance policies. We operate on a contingency fee basis and often match or beat the rates of public adjusters, who have limited options for resolving claims.

Our team includes expert estimators and engineers who can accurately assess the extent of storm-related losses. Our experienced attorneys thoroughly analyze policy terms and guide clients through the claims or supplemental claims process to help secure the full recovery they deserve.

Unlike public adjusters, our lawyers have the legal authority to represent clients in Examinations Under Oath (EUOs) and draft and file Civil Remedies Notices (CRNs) or similar documents required as a pre-condition to filing suit. We are also ready to take legal action if an insurance company fails to fulfill its contractual obligations. Public adjusters frequently turn to us when negotiations reach a standstill, or if they are unable to trigger an appraisal.

Handling All Types of Storm Damage Claims

No matter your location or the type of severe weather that has damaged your property, or the basis for the denial of your claims, our attorneys are prepared to counter insurance company tactics and fight for the full compensation you deserve.

Our legal team handles storm damage insurance claims arising from:

Property Damage in the Midwest

Home and business owners in this region must navigate complex insurance policies when seeking full compensation for storm-related destruction, including damage that may not be immediately visible. Severe weather events in the Midwest that can cause problems such as roof damage, structural instability, and costly repairs, include:

• Tornadoes (especially in “Tornado Alley”)
• Severe thunderstorms
• Derechos (long-lived windstorms)
• Blizzards and winter storms
• Ice storms
• Hailstorms
• Flooding from spring melts
• Lake effect snow (Great Lakes regions)

Property Damage in the Gulf Coast and Southern States

Residents in these high-risk areas often face complicated insurance claims, even though insurance companies gladly take your money for insuring properties in these high-risk areas, as policies include hurricane deductibles, exclusions for wind-driven rain, reporting requirements, or disputes over storm surge classification.

The following severe weather is typical of this region:

• Hurricanes and tropical storms
• Storm surge
• Tornadoes
• Severe thunderstorms
• Flash flooding
• Hailstorms
• Strong wind events

We also handle hurricane damage claims and other storm-related claims in the Mid-South, the Eastern Seaboard, the Pacific Coast, the Southwest Desert, and the Pacific Northwest.  

The Importance of Proper Damage Classification After a Storm for an Insurance Claim

Properly classifying the type and cause of the damage is critical for accurate and fair processing of your insurance claim. For example, insurance policies often distinguish between wind damage, flood damage, and water intrusion, each of which may be covered under different provisions—or, in some cases, excluded altogether. They also frequently attribute the damage to causes which just so happen to not be covered.

Misclassification of damage can lead to denied or underpaid claims, leaving policyholders struggling to afford necessary repairs.

Common Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Storm Claims

We have experience challenging insurance companies over every kind of storm damage claim denial. Some of the most common reasons insurance companies deny claims include:

Disputes Over the Cause of Damage

Insurers may argue that pre-existing conditions, poor maintenance, or unrelated factors caused the damage rather than the storm, leading to a claim denial or reduced payout.

Coverage Exclusions

Policies often exclude certain types of storm damage, such as flooding or ground shifts caused by landslides, sinkholes, or soil erosion, leaving policyholders without coverage for significant losses.

Policy Interpretations

Insurance companies may interpret policy language differently than policyholders, or even contrary to law, leading to disagreements over coverage limits, exclusions, or what constitutes storm-related damage.

Delayed Reporting

Failing to report damage promptly can result in a denied claim, as insurers may argue that delays allowed further deterioration or made it difficult to verify the cause of the damage – then they remind you that you have a duty to protect the same property at your own expense. Also, an insurer may also claim you have failed to compile adequate evidence linking your property damage to a covered weather event.

How Our Storm Damage Attorneys Fight Back

Our attorneys can counter storm damage claim denials to help homeowners pursue the full compensation they are entitled to under their policies.

When appropriate, we challenge the insurance company’s arguments by:

• Presenting expert assessments: We work with industry experts to provide detailed assessments that support our client’s claims and refute the insurance company’s conclusions.
• Proving storm-related causes: Our team gathers evidence to directly link the damage to the storm, countering attempts to attribute property damage to other causes.
• Disputing unfair policy interpretations: We seek to have exclusions and coverage limits applied fairly by challenging insurers’ interpretations of policy language.
• Countering claims of late filings or inadequate evidence: If an insurer cites delayed reporting or lack of documentation as a reason for denial, we provide valid explanations to show why a policyholder’s claim remains legitimate, and for why they should pay.

Fluency in insurance policy language and robust knowledge of insurance laws in your state are crucial to overcoming these common tactics and securing a fair settlement.

Steps to Take After Storm Damage

The steps you take after a hurricane, hailstorm, thunderstorm, or other significant weather event can play an important role in the success of your insurance claim:

• Document damage: Take clear photos and videos of all visible damage, including structural issues, roof damage, damaged siding, and interior water intrusion. Detailed records help establish the storm as the cause of your losses.
• Preserve evidence: Avoid discarding damaged shingles, siding, and other materials before your insurer inspects them. Physical evidence strengthens your claim and prevents disputes over the extent of the damage.
• Understand the statute of limitations: Insurance policies have strict deadlines for filing claims. Report damage immediately, even if you believe that the damage is minimal or under your deductible, to avoid delays, denials, or reduced compensation due to missed insurance deadlines.
• Consult an attorney: If your claim is denied or undervalued, an attorney can negotiate with insurers, challenge unfair decisions, and fight to obtain the full compensation your policy entitles you to.

Contact Vishio, Watkins & Forry, PLLC for a Free Consultation

If your storm damage insurance claim was delayed, underpaid, or denied, we can leverage our extensive experience and knowledge of insurance law to help you recover the benefits you have paid for and deserve. Schedule a consultation today. Since we work on a contingency basis, there are no legal fees unless we get results.