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Slidell Hurricane Lawyer

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Get a Hurricane Claim Attorney in Slidell, LA Who Cares About the Details of Your Case

In 2020, the Bayou State residents filed a staggering total of $10.6 billion in hurricane damage insurance claims. These insurance claims are an important first step for property owners who need settlement money in order to rebuild, and many are left homeless until this money comes in. If you’re struggling to reach a fair settlement with your insurance company, it might be time to hire an experienced hurricane claim attorney to help you fight for the full amount you’re owed.

Has your property in or near Slidell, LA been damaged by a recent hurricane or other tropical storms? Is your insurance company refusing to give you the help you need? Our team of knowledgeable hurricane claim attorneys will be happy to speak with you about your insurance claim, free of charge – contact us any time for a free consultation.

Why Blaine for my Hurricane Insurance Claim?

Whether you’re hiring a hurricane claim attorney, personal injury attorney, or other legal professional, you need to make sure they’re a good fit for your needs.

It goes without saying that you want to find a reputable lawyer who specializes in cases like yours, but you also want to make sure that you’ll receive personalized service and not be passed off to other staff once you sign on with a firm. Finding a smaller, local hurricane claim attorney like Blaine who cares about the community as much as you do is a good way to ensure you get the specialized attention you deserve.

A local Slidell, LA law firm, whose team have experienced hurricanes themselves, is also in a prime position to help you through a natural disaster that they understand firsthand.

It's All About the Details

Every hurricane damage insurance claim is different and even seemingly insignificant details can have a huge impact on how much your insurance company is willing to pay.

Call Us Anytime

We understand how frustrating it is when you need help and can’t get through to a live person – that’s why our phone lines are open 24/7.

Louisiana Native

Blaine received his law degree from nearby Loyola University in New Orleans and has lived in Louisiana his whole life.

Hurricane Ida Leaves the Slidell Community at a Loss

Hurricane Ida is one of the most powerful storms ever to make landfall on the United States, and it destroyed dozens of coastal communities in August of 2021. With winds reaching up to 150 mph, the storm caused extensive damage throughout St. Tammany Parish:

  • Uprooted trees blocking roadways
  • Downed power lines
  • Power outages for 95,000 customers
  • Lack of cellular phone service
  • Unsafe drinking water requiring a “boil water” advisory
  • Wind, rain, and flood damage to homes

Slidell residents were left without power for days, relying on generators to power air conditioners in an effort to escape the sweltering LA summer heat. Generators and gasoline were in short supply, adding to an already dire situation. Almost a dozen people in the state succumbed to heat stroke during this time.

Although 90% of Slidell, LA survived with little hurricane damage, the remaining 10%, especially neighborhoods on the south side of the city and those near Lake Pontchartrain, saw major flooding. Homes in some neighborhoods took on 3-4 feet of floodwater, leaving many residents homeless as they wait for insurance claims to come in that will fund repairs.

Floodwaters do more than damage homes after a hurricane – they also affect local wildlife, which can in turn affect humans. For example, some residents even saw a dolphin swimming in a Slidell neighborhood. On the other hand, this rise in water levels also brings a certain amount of danger with it, as a Slidell man was killed by an alligator while wading through flood water under his home following Ida. This goes to show how far-reaching the effects of a natural disaster can be, in ways that one might not expect.

Greg Cromer, Slidell’s mayor, says that the city learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina’s devastating impact and now has a sound hurricane incident plan in place to better serve the community should another storm of that magnitude occur. In the meantime, local and federal organizations are working to make sure those affected by Ida have the resources they need.

Hurricane Resources in Slidell, LA

Like other coastal communities in the southeastern United States, Slidell, LA sees its share of natural disasters. The good news is that organizations are becoming more efficient at

learning how to prepare for tropical storms before they strike, and distribute needed assistance quickly in the event of a destructive hurricane.

If you’ve been affected by a hurricane in Slidell, LA and need assistance, the following resources are a good place to start. Keep in mind that several of the resources listed also contain general advice about preparing for a hurricane, so they’re worth a look if you’re planning ahead.

The St. Tammany Parish Government

The St. Tammany Parish Government is an excellent source for hurricane resources in Slidell, LA and the surrounding area. Check out its website or social media for current storm alerts and information about resources and recovery efforts:

  • Facebook or Twitter for up to date announcements
  • Emergency storm updates
  • Open businesses

MySlidell.com

MySlidell.com’s Community Assistance Page is a wealth of resources. It offers information on emergency shelters, etc. in the event of natural disasters as well as year-round services for:

  • Seniors
  • Homelessness
  • Domestic violence
  • Transportation assistance
  • Health resources

St. Tammany Parish Library

Slidell residents will already know what an invaluable resource the St. Tammany Parish Library is. Its hurricane recovery page is full of useful links to a variety of information:

  • Hurricane news and updates
  • Food and supply assistance
  • Housing resources
  • Hurricane damage repair resources
  • Boil water advisories

Louisiana Healthcare Connections

If you were impacted by a recent hurricane, the Louisiana Healthcare Connections site contains a list of resources that might be able to help no matter what your needs are:

  • Medical
  • Housing/shelters
  • Financial
  • General assistance

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross website provides information on emergency and recovery resources such as:

  • Shelter information
  • Emergency health services and mental health assistance
  • Financial help
  • Recovery and relief efforts

It also has suggestions for preparing for future disasters, including Red Cross training.

St. Tammany Fire District No.1

St. Tammany Fire District No.1’s website contains helpful information for disaster preparedness, including specific tips for seniors or those with pets, so this resource is one you’ll want to check out before next storm season comes. Remember, a natural disaster can strike when you least expect it, so it’s best to be prepared.

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When to Hire a Hurricane Claim Attorney in Slidell, LA?

If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane, fighting with an insurance company is the last thing you want to spend time doing. You just want to file your hurricane damage insurance claim and get a fair settlement that will allow you to make your needed repairs.

Sometimes this is no problem, and your insurer pays in full without issue – in this case, you don’t really need to worry about hiring a hurricane claim attorney. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for insurance companies to fight tooth and nail to underpay settlements or refuse to pay altogether – that’s where an experienced attorney comes in.

So how can you tell that it’s time to hire a hurricane claim attorney?

If you and your insurer aren’t seeing eye to eye on what hurricane damage is or is not covered in your policy, it can be tricky getting to a resolution that ends in a fair settlement without the help of a lawyer. The main two issues we see are:

  • The insurance adjuster misrepresents what the policy covers
  • There’s a disagreement about whether water damage is covered by flood or hurricane insurance

These situations can be tricky, so it can help to have a lawyer on hand who can go over your insurance documents as well as help you gather detailed evidence to support your claim.

The most common problem our hurricane damage clients run into is an insurer that either offers an unreasonably low settlement amount or refuses to pay altogether. This might happen if you lack proof of an item’s cost and the insurance adjuster values it at less than a fair price.

But you also want to double check your policy and make sure your plan covers the replacement value of replacing your property rather than the actual value. If your plan only covers the actual cost of property, the settlement amount will factor in depreciation over the time you’ve owned it.

If your policy covers the full replacement cost of your property and your insurer’s only offering to cover the actual value, it’s time to get a hurricane claim attorney involved.

In the state of LA, property insurance providers are required to initiate the claims process within “fourteen days after notification of loss by the claimant,” with a couple of exceptions:

  • If the loss is “catastrophic,” the insurer has 30 days to initiate the process
  • If the president or governor declares the event which caused the damage an emergency or disaster, the insurer has 60 days.

If you’ve already cashed your settlement check but find more damage after the fact, you may be able to file a supplemental claim to cover the additional repairs.

Many claimants don’t know that their policy allows them to file supplemental claims (usually for up to two years), but it’s written into a lot of policies – an experienced legal professional can help you comb through your documents to see what your policy allows.

If you’re planning to file a supplemental claim for your hurricane damage due to a low first offer, you might be tempted to cash the insurer’s check so you can begin rebuilding right away. But be careful – you might be giving up your right to ask for more money if:

  • The check says “full payment” or “paid in full”
  • The insurer requires you to sign a release before cutting you a check

It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to hide behind confusing legal terminology or endless automated phone menus in order to keep from having to negotiate with claimants. If your insurer is refusing to negotiate with you or you’ve taken negotiations as far as you can on your own, it might be time to get some professional help.

Insurance companies have a team of lawyers who work for them; it makes sense for you to enlist an attorney of your own to meet them at their level.

Did You Suffer Hurricane Damage in Slidell, LA?

Did your Slidell, LA property sustain hurricane damage from a recent storm? If you’ve filed an insurance claim with your insurer and are having trouble reaching a settlement, we can help. 

What can a hurricane claim attorney do? We can:

  • Review your insurance documents to ensure your insurance company is fulfilling its obligations
  • Gather evidence needed to prove damage (including what caused the damage and when)
  • Negotiate with the insurer on your behalf

If you’re ready to pass the hassle of dealing with insurance companies on to a legal professional with decades of experience, our team of local hurricane lawyers will be more than happy to talk you through your options. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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