After being a victim of a horrible natural disaster, you may have many questions regarding your Joplin tornado damage claim. As you may know, insurance companies are looking out for their bottom line, so they are not going to remind you to look for hidden damages when pursuing a residential insurance claim.
Because severe winds accompany a tornado, your property may have suffered wind damage due to the excessive winds. When winds are that fierce, they can pull and push a building, causing structural damage. Even if your residence was on the outlying edges of the tornado's path, it may still have sustained damage. Even tornadoes that don't touch down can still cause enough pressure and wind speeds to damage homes.
Because the Joplin tornado did touchdown and cause catastrophic damages, you may assume that your insurance company will recognize your damages and provide you with a fair settlement for your tornado damage claim. However, insurance companies have been known to overlook damage, and many insurance companies have been sued for failure to recognize damage as a result of a tornado.
Seek Tornado Claim Help from a Skilled Insurance Claim Attorney
It is wise to have an independent appraiser or engineer evaluate your home or place of business for tornado damage. An attorney who specializes in insurance litigation will have access to experts and will help you look for damage, such as:
- Roofing Damage - if your home is still standing after the storm, the roof may appear to look good from the ground, but roofs can be seriously damaged in strong winds.
- Siding Damage - sometimes flying debris and strong winds from the tornado can gouge or split a house's siding.
- Window Damage - strong tornados can rip shutters and screening off, break glass and damage windows.
- Gutter Damage - tornados can move, dent and detach the gutters from the building.
- Plumbing Damage - after a tornado or heavy winds, plumbing lines and pipes have been known to leak if the structure was rattled during the storm. Check all the faucets, lines and even ceilings to see if there are any water stains from leakage.
- Foundation Damage - it is a wise idea to hire a professional to inspect your home to determine if there was structural damage. Look at the corners of the walls, window openings and even around doors to determine if there are stress cracks.
Sometimes tornado damage is highly visible, but other times mold and water stains can appear months later, indicating missed plumbing, roof, or structural damage.
You have already been through enough; now let a skilled insurance claim attorney help you with your Joplin tornado insurance claim. Call the Voss Law Firm at 888-614-7730 for advice. We will provide you with a free legal consultation, answer your questions, and inform you of your rights to recovery. You can also request our book: Disputes With Your Insurance Company - What All Consumers Need to Know.
