If you are allowed to enter your home following a fire you will be sickened by the damage. The fire itself is relentless and quickly destroys everything in its path starting with the most flammable objects. Your carpets, curtains, sofas, and clothes, as well as any wooden furniture, all act as fuel for the fire. What starts out as a small fire may turn into a blaze, destroying your entire home.
Fire Damage Is Usually Worse Than It Appears
The immediate visual damage of a fire is very disturbing, but the secondary effects, such as soot, odor, water damage and corrosion, are just as devastating, and sometimes hidden. Some of the worst damage from the fire is often invisible and, if you do not employ your own team of lawyers, investigators and construction professionals, may not be detected until long after you settle with your insurance company. Thus, you should immediately notify your insurance company of the claim, and take all necessary steps to clean up and remediate your property to prevent deterioration of the structure and your personal belongings.
Water damage is also likely to be prevalent, occurring where the fire department has fought to save your property and contain your losses. Some of the electrical items you had in your home may also be completely destroyed by fire or water.
Smoke damage is also pervasive, regardless of how small the fire in your home was. Soot may accumulate, and it sometimes seems impossible to get rid of the smell of smoke. Some property owners have been known to throw out everything and start right from scratch. While this may seem like a good idea, it can jeopardize your ability to recover from your insurance company. It is crucial that you document all of your losses, including taking photographs of all property that has been completely destroyed, and all property that is damaged. Do this before repairs begin.
Is your insurance company acting in your best interests?
Carefully consider your insurance company’s offer. Insurance companies will almost always try to settle for less than you deserve and they do not always contemplate the hidden effects of a fire in your home when they consider your compensation package. If you feel the offer is well below what your property and possessions are worth, or if your insurance company is denying your fire claim altogether, then you should call Wites & Rogers.
We will investigate your case, and consult with our team of insurance experts, to determine the full value of your claim. We will fight for you in court, to obtain the money that you deserve from the insurance company to which you have dutifully paid your insurance premiums.
Why choose Wites & Rogers for your fire claim?
Wites & Rogers has never, and will never, represent insurance companies. We only represent property owners. Our lawyers have been fighting insurance companies for years. In fact, some of our lawyers previously represented insurance companies. So, we know how they evaluate claims, and what they will do to try to minimize or deny your claim. We will fight your insurance company, for as long as it takes, to obtain the compensation you deserve to fully reimburse your losses.
Contact us today for a free no obligation quote
Your consultation with Wites & Rogers is free. If you hire us, you won’t have to pay us any attorney’s fees or costs in advance. If we win money for you and your family in court, the law requires that your insurance company pay your attorney’s fees and costs.
Call the attorneys at Wites & Rogers today at 954-933-4400 or via email at info@witeslaw.com, and we will help you take the first step towards moving forward with your life.
