Dallas Apartment Complex Sues Scottsdale Insurance Company for Incompetence

Our client, an apartment complex, was recently forced to file a lawsuit against Scottsdale Insurance Company and its adjusters. The complex suffered extensive damages when a severe storm passed through Dallas, Texas in March 2013. After the hail had passed, our client found themselves in a storm of Scottsdale’s fraud and deceit.

March 9, 2013 Storm

On March 9, 2013, a severe wind and hailstorm bombarded Dallas County, Texas, tearing through neighborhoods and destroying homes as it went. Our client became one of the storm’s many victims when every roof in the complex was damaged. After the storm, the complex submitted a claim to Scottsdale, hoping it would help take care of its residents’ homes.

Scottsdale Insurance Company Property Insurance Claim

Scottsdale hired Wardlaw Claims Service LLC, which then assigned an agent to adjust the claim. The adjusters estimated the damages to be around $240,000 and authorized the replacement of all nine of the property’s roofs.

But, when it came time to apply the deductible, Scottsdale got caught double dipping. According to the complex’s policy, the deductible for the claim would be $57,572. According to the adjusters, who either negligently or deliberately misconstrued the policy, the deductible would be $25,000 per building, for a $225,000 total deductible.

Because of Wardlaw’s and its agent’s incompetence, our client was paid only 16 percent of what they were owed.

Due to Scottsdale’s fraud, our client was unable to complete any meaningful repairs to the apartment buildings. They were forced to retain an attorney to pursue their claim for insurance benefits. On August 18, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against Scottsdale Insurance Company and Wardlaw Claims Service LLC for fraud, breach of contract, negligence, gross negligence and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders throughout Texas. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Insurance Lobbyists Threaten Homeowner Rights … Again

You may not realize it, but during the 2015 Texas legislative session, you almost lost every right your property insurance policy gives you.

SB 1628

Last year, Larry Taylor, a state senator and insurance agent from Galveston, proposed SB 1628. Industry insiders wrote this bill to undo 40 years of protections that ensure insurance companies are fair. Backed by an army of highly paid insurance lobbyists, the bill would have ripped through the laws that currently keep insurance companies honest.

Meaning you would barely have time to file a claim after a storm. Insurance companies would have incentives – yes, incentives – to deny or underpay your claim. And, even the adjuster who came out and lied through his teeth about your hail damage being “wear and tear” would have gotten off scott-free.

Phew. You breathe a sigh of relief knowing that liberty and justice prevailed last year, and your rights are still protected.

At least for now.

Insurance Lobbyists Fight to Take Rights

On October 5th, the insurance lobbyists will return. The industry will work itself to the bone to guarantee it can deny, delay and underpay your claims with zero accountability.

You pay a premium so that you can rest easy knowing that you won’t lose everything you have during the next severe storm. Even so, it’s in your insurer’s best interest to deny or underpay your claim by whatever means necessary – fraud, negligence or simply utter incompetence. That’s why the current strict laws with harsh penalties are essential to protect your rights as a policyholder.

This session, those rights will, once again, be in jeopardy. Legislative committees will meet with industry insiders to decide your and your family’s fate. While no bill has been proposed, these legislators will discuss weather-related litigation, educated only by the propaganda the insurance lobbyists will spew.

Take Action

So, how do you make sure your rights are protected?

1. Call or email your state senator to voice your concerns and give your testimony to be included in the meeting records.
2. Find a special interest group that will represent you through formal letters, petitions and testimony.
3. Get a great lawyer. The experienced attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm fight for our clients’ rights every single day. We’ve represented more than 1,000 homeowners to get them the insurance payments they rightfully deserve.

Houston Man Sued Allstate

Our Client Sued Allstate

Our client, a man whose home was damaged by a severe storm in Houston, Texas, sued Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company and its adjuster after they conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s property, grossly undervaluing the cost of repairs and deliberately yielding an unrealistic amount to underpay for coverage.

January 8, 2016 Storm

On January 8, 2016, a severe wind- and hailstorm bombarded Harris County, Texas, tearing through neighborhoods and destroying homes as it went. Our client celebrated the New Year picking up the pieces of his broken home. His home suffered severe damage to the roof and exterior, as well as some rooms of the interior. After the storm, the man quickly submitted a claim to Allstate, hoping his insurance company would help him get his life back in order.

Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company Home Insurance Claim

Allstate assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing full coverage and estimating damages to total about $2,300, which, after the deductible, left our client without the necessary recovery to make repairs to his home.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s fraudulent inspection found a litany of damages that were either conveniently absent or undervalued in Allstate’s estimate.

The damage to our client’s property is currently estimated at $28,200.

Allstate’s adjuster intentionally undervalued our client’s claims in order to maintain her job, misrepresenting the amount of damage in the hopes that our client would simply rely on her expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Because of Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company’s fraud, our client was unable to complete any meaningful repairs to his home, which resulted in even more damage. He was forced to retain an attorney to pursue his claim for insurance benefits. On September 22, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company for fraud, breach of contract, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA. We sued Allstate and we WON!

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Woman Sues Travelers Lloyds for Undervaluing Tornado Damage

Our client, a woman whose home was damaged when a tornado passed through Rowlett, Texas,  was forced to file a lawsuit against Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company and its adjuster after they conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s property, grossly undervaluing the cost of repairs and deliberately yielding an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage.

December 26, 2015 Tornado

On December 26, 2015, a severe tornado ripped through Rockwall County, Texas, leaving in its wake a path of desolation and destruction. Instead of celebrating the holidays, our client was scrambling to pick up the pieces of her broken home. Her home suffered severe damage to the roof, exterior and garage, among other damages. After the storm, the woman quickly submitted a claim to Travelers, hoping her insurance company would help her get her life back in order.

Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company Home Insurance Claim

Travelers assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing full coverage and estimating damages to total about $24,000, leaving our client with only $11,500 to repair her entire home after subtracting the deductible.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s deceptive inspection mostly found the same damages as Travelers’s adjuster, but the costs of repair were significantly higher than the adjuster’s low-balled estimates. When Travelers’s adjuster estimated the roof repairs would cost $4,400, the expert estimated nearly $7,000. Where the adjuster found damage to the front exterior of her home, the expert estimated damage five times greater, as well as more than $5,000 in damages to the other three sides of the property.

The damage to our client’s property is currently estimated at $59,650.

Travelers’s adjuster intentionally undervalued our client’s claims in order to maintain his job, misrepresenting the amount of damage in the hopes that our client would simply rely on his expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Because of Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company’s fraud, our client was unable to complete any meaningful repairs to her home, which resulted in even more damage. She was forced to retain an attorney to pursue her claim for insurance benefits. On September 13, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company for fraud, breach of contract, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Client Sues Nationwide for Fraud

Our client, a homeowner’s association in Harris County, sues Nationwide Property and Casualty Insurance and its adjusters after they conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s 26 properties, yielding grossly inaccurate and unrealistic assessments of the cause, extent and dollar amount of damage to underpay coverage.

April 19, 2015 Hailstorm

On April 19, 2015, a severe hail and windstorm swept across Spring, Texas, leaving damage and destruction in its wake. Our client was no exception. Its homes suffered significant damage, including damage to the roofing, windows, doors, electrical systems, stucco and trimming, among other damages. After the storm, the homeowner’s association submitted a claim to Nationwide, hoping to repair its homes so its residents could get their lives back.

Nationwide Property and Casualty Company Home Insurance Claim

Nationwide assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, initially denying any damage and refusing full coverage. After a second inspection, she conveniently found that 15 of the 26 properties suffered the exact same damage: each property had precisely 1/4 of a roof square’s worth of damage. All of the estimated damages outlined by the adjuster amounted to $1,273 per property, leaving our client without recovery to repair the homes.

Three months after the initial inspection, Nationwide transferred the case from the first adjuster to a second. Our client’s third-party expert asked the new adjuster to reinspect the property, but the adjuster declined, suggesting that any additional damage they might find would still not meet the deductible. This adjuster subsequently denied two more re-inspection requests from our client.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s inspection, or lack thereof, found a myriad of damages — that were conveniently absent from Nationwide’s inspection — totaling more than $826,500.

Nationwide’s adjusters intentionally undervalued our client’s claims in order to maintain their jobs, misrepresenting the amount of damage in the hopes that our client would simply rely on their expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Because of Nationwide Property and Casualty Company’s gross negligence and fraud, our client was unable to complete any substantive repairs to its property, which resulted in even more damage. It was forced to retain an attorney to prosecute its claim for insurance benefits. On July 27, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against Nationwide Property and Casualty Company for fraud, breach of contract, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Suit Filed Against Standard Casualty Company

Our client, a woman whose home was damaged during a severe storm, was forced to file a lawsuit against Standard Casualty Company and its adjuster after they conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s property, grossly undervaluing the cost of repairs and deliberately yielding an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage.

May 26, 2016 Hailstorm

On May 26, 2016, a severe hail- and windstorm swept across Montgomery, Texas, destroying homes and lives as it went. Our client was no exception. Her home suffered significant damage, including damage to the roof, windows, master bathroom, dining room, living room, hallway, laundry room, and second bathroom, among other damages. After the storm, the woman hastily submitted a claim to Standard, hoping to mend her home quickly so she could start living again.

Standard Casualty Company Home Insurance Claim

Standard assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing full coverage and estimating damages to total only $2,000, leaving our client without the recovery needed to repair her home.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s negligent inspection found a myriad of damages — that were conveniently absent from Standard’s inspection — totaling more than $33,000.

Standard’s adjuster intentionally undervalued our client’s claims in order to maintain his job, misrepresenting the amount of damage in the hopes that our client would simply rely on his expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Because of Standard Casualty Company’s gross negligence and fraud, our client was unable to complete any substantive repairs to her home, which resulted in even more damage. She was forced to retain an attorney to prosecute her claim for insurance benefits. On September 1, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against Standard Casualty Company for fraud, breach of contract, negligence, gross negligence, negligent hiring, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

What To Do When Your House Floods

You’ve built a life in your house. All of your memories, your families memories, are archived there. Not just in the photo albums, refrigerator drawings and homemade cards. But, in the markings on the door frame where your children grew to be taller than you. In the patchwork sheetrock where your boys loved to rough-house. In the permanently scuffed floors from too much running in the house.

And then, disaster strikes. With no warning, Mother Nature releases a fury of rain and, in just a few hours, you find all those memories washed away.

For some, this scenario seems like it could never happen. For people in South Louisiana, though, it’s all too familiar. In the span of one day, Baton Rouge and its surrounding cities were overwhelmed with rain. Levees broke. Rivers flooded. And houses in no-flood zones were engulfed in water.

When a flood strikes, immediately call your insurance company.

If you’ve found yourself up to your knees in water with no flood insurance, apply for federal assistance.

While you’re working to get your life back in order by clearing out your house, removing ruined carpets and sheetrock and salvaging everything you can, remember to pay attention to all of the potential dangers your house may now hold.

Wetness and high humidity will cause molds, fungi, algae and bacteria to grow within only a few days, and if the water was contaminated with sewage or other biological pollutants, your home may be doubly contaminated. Therefore, it’s important to begin cleaning and drying quickly and thoroughly. Mold spores can wreak havoc on allergies, fungi can deteriorate your wood, and some molds produce mycotoxins; all of these will cause an unhealthy living environment and a house that steadily rots. Often, the damages these growths cause will not be covered under flood or homeowner’s insurance.

If you have the funds, it’s best to have a professional water damage restoration contractor with special drying equipment come to clean, disinfect and dry your home. If you don’t have that option, be sure to wear protective clothing on your legs, arms, feet and hands while cleaning, and wear rubber gloves and goggles while removing flood-damaged items. If your home was built before 1978, be wary of lead-based paints.

Begin cleaning by removing wet carpets, carpet pads and rugs within 24 hours of the flood, and disinfect the slab underneath. An economical, general purposed disinfectant is 1/2 cup laundry bleach to a gallon of water, but can damage finishes (wood, metal, colors) and may pose health threats. Remove any other flooring once the flood has receded and clean the floor underneath. For wood floors, carefully remove a board every few feet to reduce buckling and leave open until the flooring is dry.

All wet insulation needs to be removed, and the insides of walls should be flushed. Be sure all areas are dry before installing new insulation and sheetrock. Replace all porous insulation with new material.

Flush out the insides of the walls. Allow wetted areas to dry thoroughly before installing new insulation. If possible, air condition and use a dehumidifier to speed the drying of materials by drying the indoor air.

To dry the rest of your home: open all closet and cabinet doors, remove drawers, wall panels, vinyl wallpaper and baseboards.

When refinishing your home, opt for latex paint, flood-hardy materials, ceramic or vinyl tiles or solid wood flooring.

Remove vinyl wallpaper to allow sheetrock or paneling to dry. Removing baseboards will help too. Refinish interior walls with latex paint—never use vinyl wallpaper—to allow the walls to continue to dry to the inside. A shellac-based sealer, however, may be needed over ceiling water stains before painting.

Texas & Louisiana Property Insurance Lawyers

If your flood or homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Liberty and Injustice For All

Our clients, a couple whose home was damaged during a severe storm, were forced to file a lawsuit against Liberty Insurance Corporation and its agent after they conducted a substandard and improper inspection of the clients’ property, grossly undervaluing the cost of repairs and deliberately yielding an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage.

March 16, 2016 Hailstorm

On March 16, 2016, a severe hail- and windstorm swept across Harris County, Texas, destroying homes and lives as it went. Our clients were no exception. Their home suffered significant damage, including damage to the entire roof, master bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, and foyer, among other damages. After the storm, the couple hastily submitted a claim to Liberty, hoping to get their lives back in order quickly.

Liberty Insurance Company Home Insurance Claim

Liberty assigned one of its agents to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The agent knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, employing the “pay and pray” approach — an insurance company favorite. With this type of inspection, an agent will deny any and all damage the storm caused to the roof, while covering the less expensive interior damage. The damages the agent found totaled only $500, leaving our clients without the recovery needed to mend their home.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s negligent inspection found a plethora of damages that were conveniently absent from the previous inspection, totaling more than $30,000.

Liberty’s agent intentionally undervalued our clients claims in order to maintain her job, misrepresenting the amount of damage in the hopes that our clients would simply rely on her expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Because of Liberty Insurance Corporation’s gross negligence and fraud, our clients were forced to retain an attorney to prosecute their claim for insurance benefits. On August 3, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of this couple, against Liberty Insurance Corporation for fraud, breach of contract negligence, gross negligence, negligent hiring, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Texas Farm Bureau Leaves Policyholder High and Dry

In early May 2016, severe thunder, wind, and hailstorms ripped across Willis, Texas, their malevolent currents crashing through the small town.

Our client, a man in Montgomery County, Texas, found his home a victim of the storm’s violence.

After the hailstorm, he immediately filed a claim with his homeowner’s insurance company, Texas Farm Bureau, asking them to pay for the damages so that he could make repairs and start getting his life back in order.

Texas Farm Bureau hired an adjuster to inspect our client’s home and assess the damage. The inspector found that there were nominal damages to the property — namely the fence, a gas grill cover, and a wooden playset — therefore denying his claim and leaving him with no recovery to make repairs to his home.

So, our client hired a third-party expert, who conducted an unbiased inspection and found a litany of damages that Texas Farm Bureau’s adjuster had left off, resulting in more than $24,500 worth of damages to the home. Seeing that he was owed much more than the $416 of damages Texas Farm Bureau suggested, the client promptly sought out the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm to help him obtain the recovery he had, essentially, already paid for through the purchase of his insurance policy.

On Tuesday, August 2, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit against Texas Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company in Montgomery County, Texas for fraud, breach of contract, violations of the Texas Insurance Code and Texas DTPA, and wrongfully denying our client coverage under his policy.

Through its adjuster, Texas Farm Bureau conducted a substandard and improper inspection of the client’s home, which grossly undervalued the cost of repairs in its estimate and yielded an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage. Texas Farm Bureau unreasonably adjusted our client’s claim, misrepresenting the cause of, scope of, and cost to repair damages to his property.

Because of Texas Farm Bureau’s misrepresentations, our client was forced to hire an attorney to file a lawsuit for insurance benefits.

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.