If you live in Florida, you understand the potential for property damage each year when storm season arrives. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and even the afternoon thunderstorms can do significant damage to your home or business.
Sadly, despite the high insurance premiums that all Floridians pay for property insurance, most of the insurers make it a challenge to make a claim for damages. If you have to put in a claim for a large amount, the process becomes more complex. This is when most people hire a property damage lawyer.
Having an attorney manage your claim will make the process run much smoother. Your attorney can ensure that the insurance company abides by the terms of their policy and state law.
So how do you pick the right property damage attorney?
If you are in need of a lawyer that can help with your property damage claim, you should look for an attorney that meets the following criteria:
A Local Practice
There are many national firms that practice in any state. However, you will always benefit from a firm that is locally based. Why? Because they understand Florida.
Chances are, a locally based attorney has gone through the same thing you are going through now. They have lived through hurricanes and tropical storms and understand the “politics” that insurance companies play when paying compensation. They know the frustration that you feel as a homeowner when you can’t get your home repaired.
Experienced In Property Damage Claims
Any attorney can manage a property damage claim. The question is, do you really want just anyone to do it? You want to work with an attorney that has specific experience in property damage claims.
No one thinks twice about going to a medical specialist when they have a problem. The same should apply to legal issues. If you need specific legal help, go to someone that specializes in that area of law. This is how you get the best results.
They Are Willing To Go The Distance
When you are considering different property damage attorneys, you want to make sure that they are willing to go the distance for your claim. An attorney needs to be willing to fight for a fair payout for your claim.
Ask your attorney what their policies are about claims that are denied or that are severely undervalued. What do they do? They should be able to look you in the eye and tell you that they will not back down from the insurance company until the claim is paid fairly.
Do You Feel Comfortable With The Attorney?
There is a lot to be said about feeling like you have a good working relationship with your lawyer. If you feel like you can easily interact with your attorney and that your attorney cares about what you are experiencing, you will have a better outcome for your case.
Too often, a person will hire an attorney because they think they are the right attorney for the job, but they have a hard time interacting with the lawyer. Personality clashes happen. That is a fact of life. However, a personality clash can harm your claim.
Make sure that you feel comfortable interacting with your attorney so that both of you will get the most from this legal transaction. Your attorney can fight aggressively on your behalf because you answer questions and provide information, and you will benefit from being able to get what you deserve from your claim.
The Most Important Thing To Remember About Property Claims
One of the most important things to remember about property claims is that insurance companies will deny or reduce your claim because it is not well-documented. You need to document your damages thoroughly.
It is always beneficial to make a hurricane package for yourself each year in the event of damage. Take a current video of the interior and exterior of your home at the beginning of hurricane season each year so you can show the condition of your home before the storms.
Keep accurate records of your possessions and when they were bought and replacement values, not for everything, of course, but for your major purchases. This will help you get a value if these items are damaged.
If you have made recent repairs to your home, such as a roof replacement or upgrading your windows, make sure you put copies of this information in your hurricane package. This will show the value of these items when they are replaced.
The more you do to protect yourself before damage happens, the better the claims process will go.
If you suffered property damage, contact the attorneys at Landau Law today for a free case consultation.
Florida Property Damage Lawyers
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