Vandalism Attorney in Fort Lauderdale

There are numerous ways a property might be damaged. Vandalism can often be one of the most traumatic. When someone enters your property and causes damage, it can often feel like your personal space was violated. And often perpetrators of these crimes are never caught.

When your home was damaged due to vandalism, repairs can be expensive. Vandals can destroy windows and deface property, requiring expensive repairs. Fortunately, some insurance companies will cover the damage caused by vandalism. Unfortunately, many companies will deny a claim, instead claiming the damage wasn’t extensive or wasn’t clearly covered under your policy.

If your property was damaged due to vandalism, Schlacter Law can help. Our Fort Lauderdale vandalism lawyers understand how important it is to have costly repairs covered by an insurance claim. We can help work with your insurance company to get you the money you need to get your home back in order. Call us today for a consultation.

Vandalism, which is also known as malicious mischief, can happen to any property or structure. Often the destruction is caused when someone uses spray paint or a permanent marker to deface a building or structure on a property. Additional harm might include broken windows or intentional damage to a lawn.

While vandalism is often a named peril under an insurance policy, not all insurance policies automatically cover vandalism damage. It is important to read over your policy to determine the amounts or limits of coverage for each occurrence under your specific policy.

Once an incident is discovered it is imperative to report the damage to the local authorities. Filing a police report can help establish proof of the harm and most insurance companies will require a police report to proceed with a claim.

Documenting the damage is also important. Be sure to photograph the harm caused to your property. Determining the value of any damage can also be useful when filing an insurance claim. Any receipts or invoices with the costs of damaged items can be used to establish the amount of compensation required to make repairs.

A property vandalism lawyer can assist with filing an insurance claim. With years of experience working with insurance companies, we understand what issues are common and how to avoid them. A Fort Lauderdale vandalism attorney will always work with your best interests in mind while getting as much compensation through a claim as possible.

Unfortunately, some claims are denied and a carrier will attempt to avoid paying out on a policy. Some reasons for denying a claim include:

• An accusation that the property owner filed a claim fraudulently
• The policy doesn’t cover vandalism even if it is a named peril
• The amount of the claim is inaccurate

Fraudulent claims are uncommon, but often an insurance carrier will falsely accuse a property owner of staging a vandalism incident solely for the purpose of receiving compensation. To avoid any appearance of fraud, be sure to document the damage as best as possible. This includes photographs of the damage and copies of any police reports. The more documentation you can provide the less likely a claim will be denied.

Often insurance companies will claim that vandalism isn’t a named peril under the policy. It is important to thoroughly look through your policy agreement to ensure that damage caused by vandals would indeed be covered. Our Fort Lauderdale vandalism lawyers can assist with reviewing the terms of your contract agreement and help determine the extent of coverage under these circumstances.

The amount of damage is often disputed following a claim for compensation. It’s important that a settlement accurately compensates a victim for the true costs associated with the damage. Broken windows or painted siding can be expensive. To ensure that the true costs are reflected in a dispute be sure to document any costs and keep receipts showing the dollar amount of damaged materials. Additionally, estimates by local contractors may be useful to illustrate how much money would be required to make proper repairs.

The insurance company will often send out their own adjusters to survey the damage and estimate the costs to make repairs. It is important to have your own independent adjuster to make their own estimate which can be used to disprove a settlement that fails to properly compensate for the true costs of any damage.

Schlacter Law is often able to pay for an adjuster to make these kinds of estimates without charging our clients. Additionally, our legal fees are often paid by the insurance company. This makes it easy for our clients to get the help they need to deal with insurance companies without costing you any money out of your own pocket. Call our vandalism lawyers in Fort Lauderdale today so we can start to assess the damage and get your home back to how it was before the vandalism.

How We Handle Cases

1. Investigation
   • Your attorney will aggressively investigate your case. Schlacter Law will compile all necessary evidence needed to maximize the value of your case. Which includes but is not limited to photographs, police reports, security camera footage, witness statements, medical bills and medical records.
   • You will remain in constant contact with Schlacter Law about the progression of your case.
2. Negotiation
   • Your attorney will present your case to the insurance company and will attempt to resolve your case before the case goes to court for maximum compensation.
   • Your attorney will make every effort possible to resolve the case as quickly as possible for the most amount of money you may be entitled to. You will be actively involved in the negotiation process with your attorney. Schlacter Law understands that this is your one opportunity to get justice for your loss.
3. Litigation
   • If settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, Schlacter Law will be fully prepared to bring your case to court to fight for the justice you deserve.
   • At no cost to you, Schlacter Law will hire any experts and professionals needed to maximize your recovery and present your case in the strongest form possible.