New Orleans Hurricane Damage Lawyer
For property owners in New Orleans, hurricane damage is not an abstract risk. Major storms have repeatedly affected homes, businesses, neighborhoods, and commercial districts throughout the area. And while the physical damage caused by a hurricane can happen in a matter of hours, resolving the insurance claim can take considerably longer.
The difficulty is often not proving that a storm occurred. The disagreement is over what the hurricane actually damaged, what caused that damage, what the insurance policy covers, and how much the insurer should pay to restore the property.
The Hodge Law Firm represents New Orleans homeowners and businesses when those disagreements turn into significant insurance disputes. If your insurer has denied your hurricane claim, repeatedly delayed its decision, or issued a payment that does not reflect the covered damage to your property, our attorneys can review the claim and help determine what options are available.
When a Hurricane Claim Becomes an Insurance Dispute
Many hurricane claims begin routinely. The property owner reports the loss, an adjuster inspects the property, and the insurance company prepares an estimate.
The process becomes more difficult when the insurer’s conclusions do not match what the property owner, contractor, or other professionals are seeing at the property.
A roof that the insurer believes can be repaired may need more extensive work. Interior water damage may extend beyond the areas included in the adjuster’s estimate. Damage attributed to age or deterioration may not have been present before the storm. An insurer may also acknowledge some wind damage while maintaining that a substantial portion of the loss resulted from flooding.
These disagreements matter because even seemingly small differences in the scope of repairs can translate into substantial amounts of money.
Our firm handles hurricane insurance disputes throughout Louisiana, including claims involving residential homes, commercial properties, and significant storm losses.
The Wind and Water Question in New Orleans Claims
New Orleans hurricane claims present a particularly important causation issue: a major storm can expose the same property to destructive wind, heavy rainfall, and rising water.
Those causes of damage are not necessarily treated the same under an insurance policy.
Consider a building that has both roof damage and extensive interior water damage after a hurricane. The insurance company may contend that much of the interior loss resulted from flooding. But evidence from the property may indicate that high winds damaged the roof or another part of the building first, allowing rain to enter.
That distinction can have major consequences for the claim.
Determining what happened may require more than looking at the property weeks after the hurricane. Photographs and videos taken shortly after the storm, weather information, inspection reports, repair estimates, and the location and pattern of damage can all become relevant.
When coverage turns on how the storm affected a building, we can investigate the insurer’s conclusions regarding hurricane-related wind damage and compare them with the available evidence.
An Insurance Estimate Is Not Necessarily the Cost of Recovery
After a hurricane, the insurance company’s estimate can become one of the most important documents in the claim. It is also one of the most common sources of disagreement.
An estimate may identify obvious damage while failing to account for everything necessary to properly restore the property. This can include roofing components, interior finishes, structural repairs, damaged exterior materials, or areas affected by moisture.
Commercial claims can become even more complicated. In addition to physical repairs, a business may be dealing with damaged equipment or inventory and an interruption to normal operations.
Property owners should compare the insurer’s estimate with the actual conditions at the property and the work contractors believe is necessary. A substantial difference deserves attention.
Receiving a check does not necessarily establish that the insurer correctly valued the loss. We represent policyholders who believe their insurer has paid substantially less than a hurricane claim is worth.
Pay Attention to What the Insurance Company Says – and What It Leaves Out
When an insurer reduces or denies a claim, its explanation matters.
The company may say that certain damage existed before the storm. It may characterize a roofing problem as ordinary wear and tear. It may conclude that water entered because of flooding rather than an opening created by wind. In other cases, the insurer may agree that damage is covered but disagree about whether materials need to be repaired or replaced.
Property owners should keep the insurer’s letters, estimates, reports, emails, and other communications. Those documents can show not only what the company decided, but the reasoning it used to reach that decision.
A denial should also be compared with the actual language of the insurance policy. The fact that an insurer has issued a denial does not, by itself, establish that its interpretation is correct. Our attorneys can evaluate the circumstances surrounding a denied hurricane insurance claim and determine whether there is a basis to challenge the decision.
Build a Record of the Damage
Some of the most useful evidence in a hurricane claim can be created before a serious dispute ever develops.
Once it is safe to access the property, take photographs and video. Capture both wide views showing the overall condition of the property and closer images of specific damage. If water entered the building, document where it appears to have entered and the areas it affected.
Keep damaged materials when practical, or photograph them thoroughly before disposal. Save contractor estimates, invoices, receipts for temporary repairs, inspection reports, and communications with the insurer.
Property owners also have an obligation to take reasonable measures to prevent additional damage. Emergency work may be necessary, but documenting the condition before substantial repairs begin can help preserve evidence of what the hurricane actually did.
The goal is not simply to accumulate paperwork. It is to create a clear record of the loss that can be compared with the insurance company’s investigation and conclusions.
What Happens When the Two Sides Still Disagree?
Not every disagreement with an insurance adjuster requires litigation. Some claims can be resolved by providing additional documentation, correcting omissions, or challenging portions of an estimate.
Other disputes become more substantial.
If there is a major disagreement over causation, coverage, or the cost of repairs, The Hodge Law Firm can conduct a broader review of the claim. That may include examining the policy, inspection findings, estimates, photographs, communications, and the insurer’s stated basis for its decision.
When appropriate, our hurricane practice works with engineers, contractors, damage consultants, builders, and other professionals to evaluate property losses. Moisture detection, thermal imaging, drones, satellite imagery, and other methods may also be used when appropriate to help document the condition and extent of damage.
If the evidence supports additional payment, we can communicate and negotiate with the insurer on the policyholder’s behalf. Litigation may also be appropriate when a significant dispute cannot otherwise be resolved.
Louisiana Hurricane Claim Questions
My insurer says some of the damage was already there. What can I do?
Pre-existing damage is a common source of disagreement. Photographs from before and after the hurricane, maintenance records, inspection information, contractor evaluations, and other evidence may help establish whether the condition resulted from the storm.
Can a claim involve both covered wind damage and flood damage?
Yes. A single hurricane can cause damage through multiple forces. The important question is what caused each portion of the loss and how the applicable policies address those causes.
What if additional damage is discovered after the first inspection?
Damage is not always apparent immediately after a hurricane. If additional problems are discovered, document them and review the policy and claim procedures to determine how they should be reported to the insurer.
Is an attorney necessary for every hurricane insurance claim?
No. Many claims are resolved without legal representation. An attorney may become particularly useful when a significant claim is denied, substantially underpaid, repeatedly delayed, or involves a serious dispute over coverage or causation.
Talk With a New Orleans Hurricane Damage Lawyer
Recovering after a hurricane is difficult enough without a prolonged dispute over the insurance coverage you purchased to protect your property.
The Hodge Law Firm represents homeowners and businesses in property insurance claims when insurers deny coverage, undervalue storm damage, or otherwise fail to pay what may be owed under the policy. If you are dealing with a significant hurricane insurance dispute in New Orleans, we can review the circumstances and explain your options.
Call 409-762-5000 to schedule a complimentary consultation with a New Orleans hurricane damage lawyer.
