Hurricane Insurance Claims Attorneys in Austin

Hurricanes Cause Extensive—and Costly—Damage

Hurricanes are giant tropical storms fed by warm ocean waters of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit that can involve wind speeds of more than 160 miles per hour and dump over 2.4 trillion gallons of rain per day. A hurricane can be over 600 miles across and usually lasts about a week in duration while moving at a rate of approximately 10 to 20 miles per hour over the open ocean.

Over the Atlantic Ocean, peak hurricane season roughly extends from about mid-August to late October, although the official hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. In an average year, about five to six hurricanes will occur in this area of the world.

Weather experts classify tropical storms primarily according to their wind speeds. These storms begin as tropical disturbances, and as they grow in intensity, they become tropical depressions, tropical storms, and, when wind speeds reach 74 miles per hour, they become hurricanes. Experts measure the intensity of hurricanes on a scale of one of five, which is known as the Saffir-Simpson scale. This scale, again, is based on sustained wind speeds. Once a hurricane reaches Category 3 or higher, it is considered to be a major event, in that that potential for damages and fatalities becomes quite high.

Hurricanes are characterized by an “eye”, or a 20- to 30-mile area in their centers around which winds rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. This low-pressure center tends to be calm, but it is surrounded by an “eye wall” that typically contains the strongest winds and rain in a hurricane.

By their very nature, hurricanes are extremely destructive. The storm surge, or the raising of the surface of the sea as a hurricane reaches land, can reach as much as 20 feet high and 100 miles wide. The height of the storm surge rises as the offshore water becomes shallower. The high winds inherent in a hurricane also can cause mass destruction. Hurricane-force winds can easily destroy buildings and homes, and flying debris becomes hazardous to vehicles, buildings, and people. Furthermore, hurricanes have been known to bring about tornadoes and torrential rainfall, which, in turn, can cause landslides and substantial flooding, which are equally destructive.

Why You Need an Attorney for Help with Your Hurricane Claim

Unfortunately, large insurance companies are interested in making profits, not in paying out insurance claims. While insurance adjusters may pretend to have sympathy for your plight, the reality is that they only want to minimize their obligations to pay your claim. The habit of these companies is to take their time in paying your claim for compensation, give you the smallest amount possible on your claim, and take all measures possible to deny your claim in full or in part, even where no real reason for denial exists. When you try and protest against these unfair measures on your own, you will find yourself pitted against the legal department of a faceless corporation who has seemingly unlimited resources, all dedicated to denying your compensation for your claim.

In this situation, you must have the help of an experienced hurricane insurance claim litigation team who can stand up to the insurance company in question, take them to court if necessary, and hold them accountable for their obligations under their insurance policies. At Briggle & Polan, PLLC, our insurance claim litigation team stands ready to advocate for your interests in order to help obtain your goals for your case. We are devoted to getting you the maximum payment for your claim, whether it be through settlement negotiations or the litigation process.