Back in April of 2012, the residents of McAllen, Texas found out just how unforgiving Mother Nature can be. The town suffered over two-hundred million dollars in damages during a hail storm that dropped baseball sized pieces of ice throughout the town. Fortunately, most insurance companies cover this type of damage. Many people within McAllen and the surrounding towns, however, are still dealing with the mass damage that occurred and not getting very far with their insurance companies. For anyone still dealing with destruction of the McAllen hail storm, there are five very important reasons they should contact a lawyer immediately.
Insurance Companies Have Lawyers
What many people don’t consider when dealing with their insurance company is the fact that the company has a team of lawyers looking out for their best interests. Between their lawyers and claims adjusters, there is an overwhelming force looking out for the insurance company. A person should make no mistake when they are speaking with their insurance company: they are in a battle. And the participant in this battle without a team by their side will usually come out on the losing end.
Insurance Companies Will Lowball their Clients
Insurance companies are not in the business of saving the world; they are in the business of making money. If they paid every one of their customers the money that they deserved, they would likely not make very much profit. This is why insurance companies are always looking to pay the lowest amount possible, even if it isn’t enough to fully help their client recover.
Damage Could Be More Severe
Many McAllen residents walked outside the day after the storm to notice damage to their roofs. Some of these residents assumed only the shingles were damaged, but they failed to realize that the hail could’ve caused severe structural damage underneath the shingles. A good lawyer will be able to recommend the appropriate measures to go through to ensure a person knows all of the damage that occurred to their home on that dark April day.
Insurance Companies Sometimes Try to Pay Quickly
Insurance companies realize the possibility that there could be unseen damage to a home caused by the hail storm. Because of this, they will often try to get a person to quickly sign off on certain documents that will limit their ability to fully recover what they deserve. If a lawyer is dealing with the insurance company, however, that company is less likely to try manipulative tactics to get a quick settlement that isn’t in the best interest of the homeowner.
Insurance Companies Want to Avoid Court
Just because most homeowners aren’t lawyers does not mean that they can have wool pulled over their eyes. In many cases, the homeowner knows that they deserve more than an insurance company is offering. Even in situations like this, these companies will continue to stall knowing that many people are not prepared to go to court. This is not the case when the homeowner has a lawyer. Once a person gets a lawyer, the insurance company knows that they are serious and that the company could lose a great deal of money in a lawsuit. Because of this, insurance companies are far more likely to settle for a fair price when a lawyer gets involved.
According to our experts at the law firm of Doyle Raizner, the McAllen hail storm of 2012 left many people with damage to their homes and vehicles. The psychological damage cause by the storm may be even more severe, and having to deal with insurance companies can make this even more difficult. Insurance company commercials always make it seem as if that specific company has their customers’ best interests in mind, and it is usually only after an event such as the hail storm that people find out differently. For anyone who is still dealing with the damage caused by the April storm, it is imperative that they contact a good attorney so the nightmare can be over sooner rather than later.
Ladyblogger
Latest posts by Ladyblogger (see all)
- Can Homeowner Associations Dictate Renovations? - January 9, 2014
- Renovating a Home? Legal Considerations for Lead Safety - September 27, 2013
- Are There Successful Ways Around a Mechanics’ Lien? - September 25, 2013