If your property is burnt or is damaged from smoke ash and such, effects are extremely destructive
effects. You may have an endless array of questions like:

 

1. Policy coverage?

2. Extent of the loss?

3. Type of settlement could be expected?

4. How long is the process of filing and settling a claim?

5. Details & entailment of the exact process?
 

Having an experienced attorney to support you in this difficult time can make all the difference so you
can move forward and start on the road to complete recovery. Whether you’ve suffered a complete
loss of your home or business or dealing with smoke, water, or ash damage, having me in your corner
when the times comes to negotiate with your insurance provider will not only save valuable time, but
also help you receive the maximum payout on a fire insurance claim settlement.

We are ready to advocate on your behalf as a trusted adviser and resource to ensure that you are able
to move forward with the recovery process.

I am licensed by law to work with insurance companies on behalf of my clients to deal with complexities
of all kinds of claims for loss due to any type of disasters. As an attorney I carry the most weight over
any public adjuster as an advocate on behalf of the insured providing guidance through the claims
process. Insurance providers have no obligation to offer a sufficient reimbursement for the losses
incurred by a policyholder. In fact, their primary role is to uphold the interest of insurance companies.
Obviously when insurance companies employ numerous advocates to uphold their interest, you are
better off to have someone fight in your corner, and rest assured that among Public Adjusters, and
contractors, attorneys have the most power against insurance companies because we have a license to
litigate. In addition, with 15 years of experience, and employing estimators and adjusters that have
worked for insurance companies for years, I have firsthand knowledge about all tactics used against you.

We provide a variety of services including but not limited to:
 

1. Full documentation of all visible damage that has occurred
2. assessment of any unseen damage that exists
3. offering a complete audit of the loss incurred
4. acting as a negotiator with your insurer on your behalf in order to get you Maximum reimbursement that is owed.
 

I am the main communication point throughout the claims process, so you are left to worry about
nothing and you are able to focus on getting your life or your business back in working order.
Homeowners must be very careful about working with contractors or false and unlicensed fire claim
adjusters. In many instances, these individuals are not working on your behalf but for the benefit of the
insurance companies. Allowing such individuals to represent your side, could end up costing you a
substantial amount of money in a lower settlement payout.

I. Policy

Understanding your policy before attempting to file any claim for loss is a must. Determining the extent
of your coverage is an absolute necessity. Every homeowner’s insurance policy is different, some have
higher limits than others when it comes to being reimbursed for expenses due to loss. Some actually
limit your recovery based on category and calcifications of your property.
Before you can file a claim, you need to know what is covered under your policy and what is not. This is
actually the reason I started this field of law. My services were frequently engaged by public adjusters
to read the policy and educate them about the obstacles they may face in representing insureds.
The following is a generic structure for most policies, and each section may have minor changes based
on your carrier’s intention and preference.

Coverage A: Main Home or Dwelling
Covers any and all damage that has occurred to your home including any loss incurred beneath the main floor of the dwelling. The amount listed in the policy is the maximum monetary amount you are entitled to receive should your home be burned down entirely. This extent of damage would constitute a complete and total loss of the home.
 

Coverage B: Additional Structures
This describes the coverage of other structures that are located in the surrounding areas of the main
home or dwelling. Example of such would be buildings in the direct vicinity, fencing, landscaping,
concrete driveways, pool, pool decks, and assorted walkways, among others.

Coverage C: Personal Belongings
This part of the policy deals with any damage or loss of your personal belongings. These include any and all contents located within the home at the time of the fire, all of which are owned or used by you and your family residing in the home.

Coverage D: Living Costs
This coverage reimburses any living expenses incurred due to an inability to live within the property as a
result of damage or loss. The policy will cover any and all living costs up to the policy limits so the
insured may continue to live comfortably and as they are normally accustomed. This means you are
entitled to move out to a place similar to your own place, and if possible, in same area to make sure
your stay does not change a drastic change in your everyday ordinary routine.

For example:
The distance that you would have to drive to work must be considered when you are relocated to the rental units.

II. Experts

Use of experts are disaster depended. If you suffered from an earthquake, a structural engineer is
needed to assess your loss, and likewise for fire damage, a hygienist is a must. Hygienist determines the
extent of the damages and is effective for getting you the maximum reimbursement you deserve.

A Certified Hygienist will test the levels of smoke, ash, soot, and various additional contaminants by:

1. tape sampling which focuses on testing for evidence of contaminants that exist on any interior
surfaces of the home.

2. Vacuum sampling is performed for finding evidence of contaminants that have permeated
furniture, window coverings, floor coverings, and other soft materials located within the home.

3. Lastly, the hygienist will conduct air sampling to detect the level of any breathable toxins that
are in the air. The AC unit and heating unit are usually ignored by inexperienced experts when
cost of cleaning the ducts and related materials could be in the thousands.

IF YOU RELY ON INSURANCE COMPANY’S HYGIENIST You may be have relied on a hygienist who will not
be working for your benefit of their employer, the insurance company.

I had a number of cases where I observed the insurance recommended hygienist purposefully taking
tape samples of areas that looked clean as oppose to focusing in dark and grey spots clearly showing
settled ash and soot.

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