CNN warned us of the impending catastrophic flooding and mudslide events on the Hawaiian Islands! This extreme storm yielded the largest insurance claims event in Hawaii’s history. This article reminds us why it is important to consult with a reputable policyholder attorney when filing a claim, especially if your claim has been denied, delayed, or underpaid in Texas.
Bill Voss ad The Voss Law Firm, P.C. have been protecting policyholder’s rights for the past sixteen years, recovering billions of dollars in settlements for clients.
As Texans, we know exactly what that could mean, as we experienced the largest insurance claims event in our Texas history last February - from Winter Storm Uri! Winter Storm Uri impacted every major city across the state, including: Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and most other Texas cities and towns.
That being said, our thoughts and prayers are with Hawaii this week. We stand ready and willing to offer assistance regarding underpaid, denied, or delayed property damage insurance claims.
Nearly one foot of rain has already fallen in Kula on Maui, according to the National Weather Service in Hawaii.The (NWS) report also states that,”Rainfall storm total amounts of 10-15 inches are anticipated with isolated areas of 20 to 25 inches possible.”
CNN tells us that,”On the big island 8 inches of rain have fallen in the past 24 hours in multiple locations, and rainfall is beginning to wind down Monday morning.”
CNN goes on with the report saying, “However Heavy rain is still forecast to fall across Maui, Oahu, and Kauai throughout the day on Monday. A flash flood warning has been issued for the islands of Molakai and Maui.” NWS Hawaii also stated that, “Localized rainfall rates of 2-3” inches per hour will exacerbate ongoing flooding from earlier rainfall. Portions of leeward Maui have received over 6 inches of rain over the past 6 hours, and runoff remains high.”
Warning! Danger Ahead!
The CNN reports tells us that “Landslides are expected, and in some cases highways may be closed due to flooding and landslides, potentially cutting off communities. “
The CNN report goes on to say that according to NWS, “Rain events of this size can cause catastrophic flooding and affect areas that do not usually flood. Low spots in the roads will be become dangerous and impassable due to severe runoff. Debris in streams and gulches may clog bridges and culverts resulting in dangerous flooding.”
In the report, the NWS also cautioned, “Numerous landslides are expected in areas with steep terrain. Urban areas, especially on Oahu, may have severe flooding.” The NWS also cautioned that, “Isolated highways, such as the Belt Highway in Big Islands Kau District, and Piilani Highway on Maui, may be closed in one or more locations, resulting in long detours, or even the isolation of communities.”
The CNN report tells us that according to Hawaii Public Schools on Sunday evening, “Parts of Maui County are already experiencing flash flooding and power outages causing unsafe conditions.” This led to school closings in the area on Monday.
CNN goes on to tell us that, “Blizzard warnings remained in effect over the weekend for mountain summits on the Big Island where high winds and winter weather temporarily closed access to the summit on Mona Loa last week. “
CNN also tells us in the report that according to NWS on Monday, “A Winter Weather Advisory was issued this morning for the summits of Mona Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island above 12,000 feet elevation and will remain in effect through 6 PM HST.”
As we experienced in Texas last February, catastrophic storms often lead to a catastrophic back log in the insurance claims process, as claims start to pour in with the various insurance companies. This in turn can lead to underpaid, denied, and delayed claims. If you, or anyone you know is experiencing this, feel free to reach out to us for a free consultation.
It is a wise idea to have a good policyholder attorney on your team, as things do not always go according to what seems right, when it comes to the claims process.
A good policyholder attorney will hold the carrier’s feet to the fire when claims arise. It is well documented that insurance carriers can sometimes implement various tactics when trying to lessen their financial exposure to claims, including: underpayment, denial, and the delay of claims. This is no surprise, given the record number of increasing weather events in the last several years (as documented in earlier VLF blogs).
This is why it is important to consult with a reputable policyholder attorney when filing a claim, and especially if your claim has been denied, delayed, or underpaid.
The Voss Law Firm, P.C. has been protecting policyholder’s rights for the past sixteen years, recovering billions of dollars in settlements for our clients.
Feel free to call, or email today for a free consultation on your file.
We are 100% contingency fee based. No recovery, no fee.
Todd Farr - Director of Client Relations.
