Water Damage Attorney
Water damage is the most invasive type of damage to a property. Even a small gap could result in a huge problem for a property owner. Other times, water damage could be caused by a broken pipe or plumbing leaks. Insurance companies know how devastating water damage can be and will frequently try to limit your claim payouts by underpaying you or outright denying your claim. Also the M word, Mold, starts to grow within hours of the water loss. Mold can cause some of the most devastating damage to your home with serious adverse health effects.
At Schlacter Law, we will not let insurance companies get out of paying for your water damage claim. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients against insurance companies. We offer a FREE consultation, and, if we accept your case, we will aggressively pursue your case. Our process includes hiring professionals and experts to prove the extent of damage to your property and the cost of the repairs. There is no risk to ask for our help because we only get paid when we recover compensation for you. Call our award-winning law firm by dialing (305) 999-1111 or fill out a free case evaluation to discover what our water damage claim lawyer at Schlacter Law can do for you.
Steps to Take After Water Damage
Water damage can cause a whole host of issues for your property. This includes affecting the structural integrity of your home and its foundation, which can be very costly. Other types of water damage could result in widespread damage throughout your house if an upstairs pipe bursts or leaks. Water damage can also cause serious health issues if mold begins to develop. If your home, business, vehicle, vessel, or other property has water damage, there are some steps to take to protect your claim.
Get Urgent Help and Repairs – Water damage is not the type of damage that you wait to repair. As soon as you see any water damage you need to immediately get repairs underway to stop the source and to prevent further damage from mold or deterioration. You can contact Schlacter Law or call a mitigation company immediately. However, make sure you know what you are signing with the mitigation company. Schlacter Law can help you review the contract for free.
Document All Immediate Repairs – Keep track of all of your immediate and temporary repairs to stop the water damage. This includes receipts and an inventory of what you completed, replaced, and purchased.
Take Photographs of Everything – Take photographs and videos of the water damage. This includes all areas which could possibly be affected by it, including adjacent rooms and rooms above or below the water damage. Make sure to take photographs of everything you are replacing, putting in, and repairing. Any personal property that is damaged should also be photographed.
Document Your Loses – Make sure to document every room and the damage with both photographs and written statements. Do not throw out anything without having it photographed, written down, and put into an inventory.
Get Schlacter Law to Support Your Water Damage Claim
Water damage claims are very complicated because they may involve many other issues such as storm damage, mold, sewage, and sometimes even other negligence if a pipe is leaking. Most times, an insurance company will even claim that the water damage is due to preexisting conditions. Other times, the insurance companies will claim that you did not have water damage but damage due to mold, sewage, storms, or other exclusions in your policy. Call our water damage lawyer at Schlacter Law for a FREE consultation to learn what your case may be worth and how we can start protecting your rights to compensation today.
How We Handle Cases
- Investigation
- Your attorney will aggressively investigate your claim. Schlacter Law will compile all necessary evidence needed to maximize the value of your claim. Schlacter Law will also retain on your behalf experts to evaluate the scope of your claim. In other words, the experts will be retained to determine the cost of all of your necessary repairs. These experts may include but not be limited to professional adjusters, engineers, roofers, plumbers and general contractors.
- You will remain in constant contact with Schlacter Law about the progression of your claim.
- 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.
- 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.
- Schlacter Law will hire any experts and professionals needed to maximize your recovery and present your case in the strongest form possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a claim?
As soon as you can do so. Most insurance policies require you to give notice of damage within days of the claim or as soon as possible. It is imperative that as soon as any damage occurs, you should immediately contact your insurance company to open a claim. If the claim is denied or underpaid, you may have five years after the date of water damage to commence an action for a breach of contract action against the insurance company. Never delay in any claim, especially a water damage claim as your claim can be denied for failure to timely report the claim or for failure to mitigate your damages. Further, Florida Law provides shorter time periods to report claims such as Fla. Stat. 627.70132 which gives the homeowner three years to report a storm or hurricane claim. This is not the only limitation in Florida so do not wait and contact a lawyer immediately.
How much does a water damage claim lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. In some instances where an insurance company improperly denies coverage or fails to honor a claim and you successfully challenge the insurance company in court, Florida law requires the insurance company to pay for your attorney’s fees. In other circumstances, we may agree to accept your claim on a contingency fee agreement. This means that we only get paid after we recover compensation for your insurance claim. Most of the time we get paid separately from the insurance company.
Property Damage Attorney? What about my PA?
Schlacter Law can get their attorney fee paid by the opposing side (insurance company) if they win. That means more money for you.
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