COVID-19 insurance claims denied? Business interruption insurance is created for times like this. If you’ve been paying your premiums, you deserve a payout.
Holiday Safety Tips from Your Miami Personal Injury Lawyer
Want to avoid getting hurt during the holidays? Here are some tips from a Miami personal injury lawyer. The holidays are a time of year that you should be able to enjoy with family and friends without the fear of getting hurt. Whether you are traveling across the country to visit your family, cooking dinner for thirty people in your home, or going all out on your home decorations, safety should be your first concern. Unfortunately, the holiday season is one of the busiest times for emergency rooms. So, what precautions can you take to make this one of the safest, happiest holidays ever? Our Miami personal injury lawyer team at RRBH Law has compiled a few tips that you can use to keep yourself and your family safe this winter. Safe Cooking During the Holidays Most people can agree that the food is one of the best parts of the holidays. Mom’s mashed potatoes, grandma’s apple pie, dad’s deep-fried turkey—it’s all enough to make you salivate and loosen your belt with anticipation. Safety in the kitchen should be a priority year-round, but during the holidays, when distractions are more common and large quantities of food need to be cooked, …
What Is a Proof of Loss Form? Some Advice on This Critical Document
When you file a claim for a loss, your insurance provider will often require that you complete a document called a Proof of Loss form. This document details the damages that you intend to claim. It is usually one page long, though sometimes it may come with attachments. On the form, you will need to provide specific information that the insurance provider asks you to provide, including the time and date that the loss occurred, the type of loss, your policy limits, and what damages you are seeking. Some Proof of Loss forms may allow, or even require, you to provide any damage estimates to support your claim. You will need to fill out the form completely, get it notarized, and send it back to the company within the deadline your insurance company provides. Usually, you must complete it within 60 days. How to Fill Out Your Proof of Loss Form First, you will need a copy of your insurance policy. Your policy will tell you what you must include in your Proof of Loss, however, in most instances, it will require the following: Your coverage amounts at the time of the loss The date the loss occurred The cause …
Florida Personal Injury Statute of Limitations? Here’s What You Should Know
No matter whether you have been hurt in a car accident, a slip and fall, or another accident that causes you harm, if you want to pursue a personal injury lawsuit in Florida, you need to understand the Florida personal injury statute of limitations. Want to learn more so that you can legally pursue your case? Keep reading for more details about the statute of limitations and the filing deadline. The Florida Personal Injury Statute of Limitations You can find the statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Florida in section 95.11(3)(a) of the Florida Statutes. In most cases, you have four years from the date of your accident to seek compensation. To do this, you will need to file a civil lawsuit. The Filing Deadline If you attempt to file your civil suit after four years have passed, the court will probably dismiss your case. When your case is dismissed, you will have lost your right to seek compensation for your injuries, even if they have affected your quality of life. You should also be aware that this statute of limitations does not only pertain to civil lawsuits. It also applies to any settlement negotiations with the person …
Bad Faith Claim in Florida: How Can I Pursue Legal Action?
When you have a policy with an insurance company and you file a claim, you expect them to keep their end of the bargain. In fact, it’s a violation of Florida state law for an insurance company to deny coverage without cause. The insurance company is supposed to act in good faith with its policyholders. Yet bad faith insurance practices still occur all the time. What happens if you are the victim of an insurance provider’s bad faith practices? One option that you have is to file a bad faith claim in Florida so that you stand a chance to see the money that you are owed. Bad Faith Insurance Practices Insurance companies can act in bad faith in many different ways. The first, known as a wrongful denial of benefits, occurs when a company fails to pay the policyholder as laid out in the policy. But denying a payment isn’t the only bad faith practice that an insurance company can be guilty of. Other examples of bad faith practices include: Failing to conduct an adequate investigation of your claim Failing to reply to a claim promptly with a denial or a settlement Delaying payment Offering less money than the …
Do I Need a Florida Personal Injury Attorney? 3 Times You Probably Do
If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s actions or negligence, you might be wondering whether you need an attorney. Hiring a Florida personal injury attorney is probably not something that you take lightly, so we wanted to help out by writing a post about when you might be better off hiring legal counsel. Here are three situations that might require a trained personal injury lawyer. If Your Case Is Complex Sure, you could try to put together a case that demonstrates that you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence or malicious actions. But if your case is complex, the amount of time and effort that you are going to have to put in will be significant, to say the least. If you think that you are in over your head because of the complexity of your case, you should probably hire a Florida personal injury attorney. When Liability Is an Issue Even cases that don’t seem complicated at first can become complicated as things progress. For instance, in car accidents, it can be difficult to determine who is at fault. Even though Florida is a no-fault state, you can still file a personal injury lawsuit against …
Distracted Driving in Florida: 5 Tips to Keep You Safe on the Road
According to the CDC, 3,450 people were killed in 2016 because of distracted driving in the United States. If that number doesn’t make you stop, then let’s consider the impact of distracted driving in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently said that in 2016, 50,000 accidents happened because of distractions behind the wheel. In those accidents, 233 people died. Many others were injured. Perhaps numbers such as these are part the reason that the Florida legislature passed and DeSantis signed into law a bill that took effect July 1. The new law treats texting while driving as a primary offense, which means that law enforcement can now pull over drivers simply for texting or messing with their phone while their car is in motion. The point behind this law is to keep people safe. That’s also the point behind this blog post. What Is Distracted Driving? There are three types of distracted driving: Visual – taking your eyes off the road Manual – taking your hands off the wheel Cognitive – concentrating on things other than driving Want to avoid distracted driving and make the road a safer place for everyone? Put these simple tips into practice to help reduce distracted …
Hurricane Dorian: 3 Storm Damage Claim Mistakes That Could Cost You
Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas on Sunday, September 1 as a Category 5 hurricane. While experts have forecast that the potentially record-breaking hurricane will only graze Florida’s Atlantic coast rather than hitting it head-on, storm damage from high winds and flooding is still expected for the state, which means that many property owners will need to file an insurance claim so they can repair the damage. Homeowners and business owners need to be aware that filing an insurance claim doesn’t always guarantee full compensation. If you want to get your rightful compensation so you can repair damage to your home, avoid these three mistakes. Don’t Sign ANYTHING You Haven’t Read When filing an insurance claim, never sign anything that you have not thoroughly reviewed. Make sure that you understand the language of any paperwork that the insurance company or third parties put in front of you. Knowing what you are signing is especially important when dealing with contractors because signing a document without examining it closely could cost you the money from your insurance claim. How? While there are many respectable, conscientious contractors who want to help you repair the damage to your home or commercial property, more …
Hurricane Damage: What to Do If Dorian Batters Your Florida Home
According to CBS Miami, Tropical Storm Dorian could become a Category 3 hurricane by the time it makes landfall on the east coast of Florida on Monday. Local and state authorities are cautioning residents to prepare for hurricane damage this Labor Day, and part of that preparation means knowing how to handle an insurance claim after the storm passes. At RRBH Law in Miami, we are standing by to assist you with your claim. With over 20,000 insurance claims still open from Hurricane Michael last year, it is critical that you understand how the process works so that you don’t have to wait almost a year to get the compensation you need to rebuild. Here’s what to do if your property suffers hurricane damage from Dorian. Review Your Policy Right now, you should be reviewing your insurance policies. And yes, I do mean policies, plural. With hurricanes, you have to worry about more than one form of damage to your home because flooding is not covered under most homeowners insurance policies. You’ll have to purchase a separate flood insurance policy for that. Unfortunately, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, if you don’t currently have flood insurance, you’re out of luck …
Business Interruption Insurance: How Does It Work?
Business owners do a lot for our community in Miami. They create jobs and offer essential goods and services. But sometimes business owners need support. In case of disaster, business interruption insurance gives business owners the security they need to continue to do business, to cover their lost income, or both. Let’s look at an example: say a bad storm took the roof off the building where your business is located. Not only is the building now unsuitable for business, but also your merchandise is ruined. Here’s how this scenario might play out if you have business interruption coverage. How Does Business Interruption Insurance Work? In the above example, you would need to replace the value of your merchandise and possibly find a new place to run your business until the building is repaired. With business interruption insurance, both might be covered: Lost income – Business interruption coverage will reimburse you for your damaged merchandise. In addition to replacing the value of your goods, business interruption insurance may also cover the business that you lose because of the damage to your property, for instance, if you have to close for several days or weeks. Insurers will use your financial statements …
Common Slip and Fall Injuries That Entitle You to Compensation
Slip and fall injuries can be serious, even life-threatening. In fact, slip and fall accidents are one of the most common reasons that people visit the emergency room in Florida. If you were hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you might be entitled to compensation. To better understand how to communicate how your injuries have affected you to your doctor and attorney, here are some of the most common injuries that arise from slip and fall accidents. Broken Bones Falls are often forceful enough to break bones. Broken arms, legs, fingers, and hips are common, though slip and fall accidents can result in broken bones almost anywhere on the body. Age also plays an important role in how severe the broken bone is because of illnesses like osteoporosis, though such details rarely matter from a legal standpoint. No matter what age you are, you are entitled to compensation to help you pay for medical treatment. Knee Damage In many slip and fall accidents, victims may twist as they fall, which can cause serious injury to the knees and connected ligaments and tissue. Because knees are intricate, they can take a long time to heal, especially if you hurt the ligaments …
How to Prevent Storm Damage During Hurricane Season
While hurricane season begins on June 1, it’s never too late or too early to prepare for storm damage to your home. As we know here in Florida, hurricanes can cause a lot of damage in a short amount of time, so it is best to be as prepared as possible. In this blog, you will find information on what you need to do to prevent damage to your home and to protect yourself and your family in the event of a hurricane. Safety First While it is important to take steps to prevent hurricane and flood damage to your home, the first thing that you need to do is develop a plan for you and your family’s safety. In addition to building your own hurricane disaster kit and creating a disaster plan for the whole family, you should also review your evacuation plan. During hurricane season, the most important thing to remember is that homes can be replaced—your family can’t. Retrofit Your Home to Prevent Flood and Storm Damage Much of the damage that your home can sustain during a hurricane comes from two things: flooding and high winds. Heavy rainfall and storm surges can affect homes that are …
Personal Injury Claim Settlement: How Long Does It Take?
Getting the personal injury claim settlement that you deserve for your injuries takes time. How much time? Let’s take a look at how the process works. Getting Medical and Legal Help Before you start worrying about how long the settlement process takes, you need to get the medical treatment that you need. When you are hurt, the first thing that you should do is see a doctor. If your injuries are severe, go to the hospital. Doing so is not only paramount for your health and safety—it can also help you document your injuries so that you can get the right amount of compensation. Failing to seek medical treatment could keep you from winning any settlement at all. You’re also going to need the help of an expert attorney. Don’t choose just any attorney. Your pick should be well versed in personal injury matters and have experience at trial. Even for injuries that aren’t that serious, having an experienced attorney by your side is a good idea. Finding the right attorney to take on your case could take a matter of weeks or even months, so the sooner you start, the quicker your case will be resolved. Investigation Once you …
How to Deal with an Insurance Adjuster for Your Personal Injury Claim
When you are injured in a car accident or because of negligence on another person’s property, you will have to jump through a few different hoops before getting the compensation that you need to recover your health. One of those hoops is learning how to deal with an insurance adjuster. It’s vital that you understand how to protect yourself before speaking with a representative of your insurance company so that you can ensure that the settlement you get is fair. Want someone to guide you through the process so you can get the most compensation possible for your claim? Get in touch with the experts at RRBH Law today. Otherwise, take a second to read through some of our tips below. What an Insurance Adjuster Does The first thing that you need to understand—so that you can get a better idea about how the claims process works—is to learn what exactly an insurance adjuster does. First things first—the insurance adjuster works for the insurance company. They don’t represent you. In fact, their job is to pay out as little as possible to increase the profits of the insurance company. This fact is important to understand because they are in control …
Insurance Litigation: What Can I Expect When I Sue My Insurance?
When you file a claim with your insurance company, you have to hope that the amount they decide to pay will be fair. One of the most common reasons that we pursue lawsuits against insurance companies is for “bad faith” practices, where your company fails to act in your best interests. Your company may refuse to settle or negotiate your claim, instead betting on the idea that you will back down and avoid challenging their decision. If the settlement you get is not fair, you might have to consider insurance litigation. Suing your insurance company might seem like a daunting task. They’ve probably got a team of lawyers. They deal with this type of thing all the time. Meanwhile, you have probably never had to handle a lawsuit ever before in your life. It’s enough to discourage you from pursuing a settlement that is rightfully yours, but should it be? You pay your insurance to cover you when disaster strikes, and you deserve compensation when they fail to fulfill your duty. The litigation process can be stressful, for sure, but you can get through it if you know what you’re in for. Here’s what to expect when you decide that …
Sexual Abuse Attorney: Recognizing the Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
It’s not easy to talk about, but it’s important. Child sexual abuse is more common than you think. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, authorities respond to a case of child sexual abuse every nine minutes. As a sexual abuse attorney team, we know all too well how common it is and how devastating the effects can be on a child’s life, now and in the future. But everyone can do their part in stopping the abuse. If you notice any of the following signs of sexual abuse, you have the power to stop it. Signs That a Child May Have Been Abused Keeping your eyes peeled for signs of sexual abuse can prevent lasting harm from being done. It’s not always simple to notice the signs, especially since abusers take extensive measures to hide their abuse, often manipulating or even threatening their victims. Even if you can’t quite pinpoint why something doesn’t feel right, it’s critical to talk to the child. Knowing these signs will help you identify potential abuse victims. Physical and Behavioral Signs of Sexual Abuse Sexual trauma often presents in various ways. The following physical and behavioral signs are often …
Florida Personal Injury Lawyer: Top 8 Tips for Your Case
When you are hurt following an automobile accident, a slip and fall accident, or when you encounter a defective product, it’s critical to know how to proceed with a personal injury case. If you’re located in the Sunshine State, you’ll want to contact a Florida personal injury lawyer as soon as possible so that you can start working on getting the compensation you need to cover medical expenses and pain and suffering. To help you from making mistakes during the time leading up to your day in court (or your day at the negotiating table, if you are able to avoid litigation), we’ve compiled our top eight tips for those who want to pursue their personal injury case. 1) Seek Medical Attention Immediately When you are hurt, and it’s someone else’s fault, you have a responsibility to get treatment for your injuries. Seeking medical attention quickly can help to ensure that you “mitigate your losses,” a legal term that means you’ve taken the proper steps to treat your injury so that it does not worsen and cause more damage and cost more to treat in the future. Even if you don’t think that your injuries are serious, you should seek …
3 Critical Things Your Insurance Dispute Attorney Wants You to Know
Even though insurance companies are required to act in good faith, many attempt to take advantage of the complex and intimidating nature of the claims process to pay less than they should. Any insurance dispute attorney knows that the insurance companies are going to do what they can to reduce the claims they have to pay out. But as they say, knowledge is power. Here are a few things you should know about the insurance claims process. Adjusters Know How to Negotiate It’s pretty easy to assume that the adjuster the insurance company sends is on your side. They’ve spent a lot of money cultivating that image with commercials that imply that they are going to take care of you like family. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Insurance adjusters are trained in negotiation. For someone unfamiliar with the claims handling process, negotiating with an adjuster can be difficult, especially since they often ask questions that can be used by the insurance company to deny your claim. Talking to an insurance dispute attorney or even letting one take over the claims process for you can save you a headache in the future. Adjusters Want to Undervalue Your Claim In …