Nearly six years after Hurricane Katrina struck, Louisiana residents are still dealing with the traumatic and costly effects of the storm. The American Red Cross estimates that approximately 275,000 Louisiana homes were destroyed by the storm and thousands more were damaged. Even those homeowners with insurance can find the recovery of damages to be a
If a homeowner insures his home and then suffers damage to the structure, the process of making a claim and being paid for the loss can be long and frustrating. Frequently, the insurance company will arrive at its value of the loss and attempt to persuade the homeowner to accept that value, even if it
Homeowners across the Louisiana coast were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Many of those affected are still dealing with the stressful experience of rebuilding their homes, communities, and lives. Homeowners insurance is a boon to many when natural disaster strikes. Unfortunately, insurance companies do not always make recovery of benefits easy on the afflicted homeowner. The
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastate much of the Gulf Coast, prompting the Louisiana Legislature to enact Acts 2006, which extended the prescriptive period within which insured’s were allowed an additional year to file certain claims under their insurance policies for losses incurred by the storms. Despite many insurance contracts granting only one year
Lake Charles resident Ginger Hinch Durio sued her Insurer, Horace Mann, over the extent of payments she received for the damages she sustained during Hurricane Rita. Durio’s house was severely damaged, including her garage where her family’s belongings were being stored while they were in talks to sell the house. The ceiling inside the garage
In a recent Louisiana Court of Appeals case, an injured logger was not able to collect damages from his employer’s insurance company because the subcontractor at fault for the accident was found to be not covered. Travis Palmer was working for A.T. Martinez (ATM), LLC, as a logging truck driver and was injured when he
By the terms of most mortgage agreements, homeowners are required to maintain adequate insurance on their houses. In New Orleans and other coastal areas, this requirement can include both a standard homeowner’s policy as well as flood insurance. Mortgage lenders insist on insurance coverage to help protect their financial interest in the properties for which
The Gulf Coast has seen its share of hurricanes and tropical storms, unfortunately, and nearly everyone who lives in our region knows someone who has been adversely affected by the damage these acts of nature cause. Whether a home, car, business or other form of property, many suffered devastating losses that left the future unclear.
As many Gulf Coast residents unfortunately know, standard homeowner’s insurance policies do not include coverage for flooding. In order to assist property owners in Louisiana and other states in protecting themselves against floods from hurricanes, tropical storms, and other severe weather, Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968. NFIP offers flood insurance
For those Louisiana residents, whether you live in Lake Charles, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Kentwood or any other of the great cities across this state, looking for more information on their possible personal injury claim, check out our blog dedicated to these legal matters: Louisiana Personal Injury Blog This blog discusses the legal issues
Jeffrey Berniard is a specialized injury attorney with over 21 years of experience fighting for Louisiana families.