Huntsville Property Damage Claims Lawyer

When your property is damaged, either intentionally or through negligence, you will likely look either to your own insurance coverage, or the insurance of the person who damaged your property, to compensate you. Sometimes insurance companies are reluctant to pay a claim and make it difficult to get the compensation to which you are entitled. If your property has been damaged and you have a dispute with an insurance company, here is information that may prove useful in determining what to do next.

Causes of Property Damage

Any damage to real or personal property caused by someone’s negligence, intentional damage, or through an act of nature may be compensated by your insurance company according to the terms of your coverage.

Examples of causes of property damage include:

Depending on the insurance policies you have, any or all of these may well be covered and eligible to receive compensation.

What Should I Do If My Property Is Damaged?

In the case of a car accident, or where it is apparent that the destruction was intentionally caused, the first step is to call the police to report the incident. Having a police report provides you with an objective, third-party description of the damage caused and the parties involved in the incident.

Next, it is important to let your insurance know of your claim as soon as possible. Depending on the terms of your policy, if you do not inform your insurance company of the damage in a timely fashion, they may be able to refuse any compensation for your claim. Generally, insurance companies have 30 days to notify you if they will accept your claim or not.

Photograph the scene of the damage thoroughly and as soon as possible. In an automobile accident, taking pictures of the scene of the accident can provide valuable evidence of the conditions that may have caused the accident. For property damage to your home, the photographs will show the extent of the damage and may reveal details important to proving your case.

Do I Need a Lawyer in My Insurance Dispute?

If the insurance company rejects your claim, or offers a settlement significantly lower than the amount needed to repair the damage, an attorney can help ensure that you receive the compensation that you are entitled to.

In most cases, it is better to act quickly in an insurance dispute. Under Alabama law, you have a maximum of six years to file a suit for property damages. Except under very specific exceptions, your suit may be dismissed if it is filed too late, even if it would otherwise merit compensation.

An experienced attorney can counsel you on your insurance dispute, and guide you as to the best course of action moving forward. While no one enjoys having to battle an insurance company, having an attorney on your side can greatly increase your chances of getting a satisfactory settlement in the end. Contact the property damage and insurance dispute lawyers at Conchin, Cole, Jordan & Sherrod today to learn how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.