Corpus Christi Fire Damage Attorney

Guiding You Through the Claims Process

If your home or commercial property was damaged by smoke, fire, or an explosion, you can file a claim with your insurance company to cover the cost of repairs. Restoring your residence or business as soon as possible is important for moving on with your life. Unfortunately, you might face challenges when trying to receive compensation from your insurance company. For instance, as a delay tactic, your carrier might require you to provide tons of information (some of which you believe is irrelevant to your case). Or the company might make an estimate below what you think is fair, or it could deny your claim altogether. If you’re struggling to get the financial recovery you need to get your life back to normal, reach out to an attorney to assist with your case.

At Robert J. Gonzalez, Attorney at Law, I am a Corpus Christi fire damage lawyer dedicated to doing what is right for my clients. I will thoroughly assess your case to determine your legal options for recovering compensation. My focus is on protecting your best interests, and I can help you prepare and file your claim and challenge delays, denials, or underpayments from your insurance company.

To schedule a free consultation with me, please call (361) 309-9332 or submit an online contact form today.

What’s the Procedure for Filing a Fire Damage Claim?

Knowing where to start after smoke or fire has damaged your home or commercial property can be difficult. The experience alone can be frightening, stressful, and exhausting. And then initiating the claims process can be confusing.

Below are some of the steps for getting started on your case:

• When it’s safe to do so, document the damage. Take photos and videos of your property from all angles, even if it doesn’t immediately appear that anything has been destroyed.
• Take inventory of destroyed property. List out the belongings that were damaged in the fire.
• Make temporary repairs to protect your property. You might want to make minor fixes to your property to prevent further damage. For instance, you may board up windows or holes that could expose your home or business to the elements and cause more destruction. Keep receipts for temporary repairs, as your insurance company may reimburse you for the costs. Do not make any substantial repairs until an adjuster has evaluated your property.
• Verify your coverage. Ensure that you understand your insurance policy, including what’s covered and excluded.
• File your claim right away. Your insurance policy will specify a coverage period, the deadline for bringing your case. Failing to get your claim in on time can hurt your options for pursuing recovery. Additionally, Texas has a two-year statute of limitation for pursuing property damage lawsuits. If you can’t resolve your matter with the insurance company, you have two years to take your case to court and have a judge or jury decide.

Before moving forward with your fire damage case in Corpus Christi, speak with me. I can help you understand what actions to take and your rights and responsibilities.

What Is My Fire Damage Case Worth?

The amount you may receive from your insurance company depends on the situation. Indeed, the primary factor in estimating the costs for repairing your home or commercial property is how much damage was sustained. The more severe the destruction, the more the insurance company may agree to pay.

You might also incur other costs because of a fire, which your insurance carrier may cover. These can include costs for temporary repairs and additional living expenses.

Temporary repairs are those you make soon after the fire to prevent any more damage to your property.

Additional living expenses (ALE) include costs for your stay in temporary accommodation because you have been evacuated or the damage causes your home to be unlivable. Typically, insurance carriers will reimburse ALE for up to a certain amount.

What Do I Do If Problems Arise with My Fire Damage Claim?

After filing your claim, your insurance company should acknowledge receipt of it within 15 days. It should also accept or reject your claim within 15 days of completing its investigation. If your claim is accepted, the insurance company should issue a check within 5 days.

Unfortunately, the process does not always work that way. Some insurance companies use tactics to delay cases, which is illegal. Others make lowball offers to avoid paying out more than they have to.

If your claim was denied, delayed, or underpaid, you have several options available to pursue remedy.

You can:

• Send supporting documents to the insurance company to reevaluate your case
• File a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance
• Pursue mediation and have a third-party assist in settling your case fairly
• File a lawsuit against your insurance company

I am ready to help determine a course of action to overcome barriers preventing you from receiving just financial recovery for losses sustained in a fire.