distracted driving in florida

Distracted Driving in Florida: 5 Tips to Keep You Safe on the Road

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida, Vehicle Accidents

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 …

storm damage

Hurricane Dorian: 3 Storm Damage Claim Mistakes That Could Cost You

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

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

Hurricane Damage: What to Do If Dorian Batters Your Florida Home

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

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

Business Interruption Insurance: How Does It Work?

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation

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 …

storm damage

How to Prevent Storm Damage During Hurricane Season

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

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 …

insurance adjuster

How to Deal with an Insurance Adjuster for Your Personal Injury Claim

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida, Slip and Fall

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

Insurance Litigation: What Can I Expect When I Sue My Insurance?

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

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 …

insurance dispute attorney

3 Critical Things Your Insurance Dispute Attorney Wants You to Know

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida, Slip and Fall

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 …

insurance litigation attorney

Hurricane Irma Court Case: How an Insurance Litigation Attorney Can Help

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

Every year, many insurance policyholders have to decide whether to hire an insurance litigation attorney. The question: take the award amount and cut their losses, or take the fight to the courts to get the compensation they deserve? Recently, a Miami federal judge ruled on a case that involved two insurance policyholders, the insurance company, and a disagreement over the award amount the insurance company wanted to pay. The insurance company claimed that the initial award (which was much higher than the revised award) offered to the plaintiffs was preliminary—the court should thus reject the plaintiffs’ stance that the initial offer should be upheld. Daniel J. Rodriguez of RRBH Law was on the case. The Case When Lazaraly Guzman and Larry Rosado claimed that their dwelling was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017, they couldn’t have expected how much resistance they would get from their insurance company, American Security Insurance, Co. From the start, the insureds and representatives of the insurance company could not agree on the cost of the damage from the storm, so Guzman and Rosado started the litigation process. When the parties agreed to an appraisal per the insurance policy’s instructions, the court stayed the case until …

injury attorney

Hire a Personal Injury Attorney? 7 Reasons You Should

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida, Slip and Fall

After an accident in which you’ve been injured, you have a lot to worry about—not only do you have to focus on recovering from your injuries but also paying for your medical expenses. Hiring a personal injury attorney can help you go through the process of settling your claim against the at-fault party, but many people are hesitant to pick up the phone. If you’re wondering whether you should hire an attorney to help you get the compensation you deserve, these seven reasons could help you make a decision. Save Time When you’re injured, the one thing that there doesn’t seem to be enough of is time. Even if your injuries are so severe that they keep you from working, you still have a lot to do. You have to track down your medical records and get the police files for your case. If you’re working or raising a family, not to mention if you have to go to physical therapy to recover from your injuries, it can be difficult to find the time to do everything you need to do. Hiring a personal injury attorney can help cut down on the steps you need to take to get compensation …

auto accident attorney

Advice from an Auto Accident Attorney: Settling a Claim

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation, Vehicle Accidents

If you’ve been involved in a car accident that was not your fault, you’re probably wondering about getting the compensation that you need. Hiring an auto accident attorney that can help you through the negotiation or even litigation process might not be at the top of your list of worries if you’re still trying to recover your losses, but we still want you to have the information that you need so that you can settle your claim and get back to your life. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about settling your claim. What You Need to Understand about Getting Compensation We’ve written about gathering the evidence you need to get the most from your settlement before, so we won’t reiterate that here. You can read more about that in this post and this post. Suffice it to say that you need to gather as much evidence from the scene as you can. The other driver’s insurance company wants to make as much money as possible, so if they say that you haven’t given them enough evidence to prove your claim, you could be paid less than you should be paid, or you might be denied …

insurance dispute lawyer

Homeowner’s Claim Denied? An Insurance Dispute Lawyer Can Help

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

When you file a homeowner’s insurance claim, stress can build to intense levels. Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to worry about your insurance company denying your claim on top of everything else? Unfortunately, any insurance dispute lawyer you ask will tell you that it happens a lot. This is because insurance companies exist for one main purpose: to make as much money as possible. While having this goal doesn’t mean they will outright deny you coverage without due cause, it could mean you receive a settlement that is lower than you expected. Sometimes this happens because you and your insurance company aren’t sharing enough relevant information with each other. Fortunately, you can take these steps if you think you’ve been wrongfully denied coverage or if you think your settlement should be higher. Get Your Insurance on the Phone As soon as you receive word of a low settlement or a denial, start the process of getting in touch with your insurance. Be sure to come prepared—review your claim and come up with some ways to make your case more clear. The solution to the problem might be a simple one, such as providing more evidence of loss …

bicycle accident in florida

Bicycle Accident in Florida? What You Need to Know about Insurance

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida

Did you know that you can file an auto insurance claim after a bicycle accident in Florida? If you’re surprised, listen up. Your car insurance usually only pays for damages that you cause while driving, but if a driver hits you while you’re riding and they are found to be at fault, you can actually get coverage for your injuries by using your own insurance policy. You can do this because you’re technically a pedestrian—defined as someone who is not operating a vehicle that is “self-propelled.” Since you power your bike with your legs, that definition includes you when you’re on a bike. But wait. Wouldn’t the at-fault driver’s insurance cover your medical expenses? That’s a great question. Normally it would. However, some exceptions to the rule can mean you need to file a claim with your own insurance. Want to learn more? Here’s what you need to know. The Driver’s Insurance Might Not Cover Your Bicycle Accident Injuries A few instances exist in which the at-fault driver’s insurance might not cover you. For one, what if the driver doesn’t have insurance? After all, at any given time about 15% of drivers on the road across the country don’t carry …

Closeup of Benjamin Franklin on $100 bill no win no fee lawyer

Why Should I Hire a No Win No Fee Lawyer? 3 Reasons

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida, Sexual Assault Lawyer, Vehicle Accidents

A lot of people think that they can’t afford an attorney. But what if you didn’t have to pay unless you won? That’s what a no win no fee lawyer can do for you. This is an attorney who essentially works for contingency fees. Here’s why you might want to hire one. You Get Immediate Access to Legal Advice Your initial consultation with your lawyer will be free of charge. That means you can get access to the legal advice you need right away and begin implementing the steps you need to take for a successful outcome. This is beneficial because shopping around for lawyers can prove to be a time-consuming and extensive process. The more time you wait, the more you hinder your chances of success. Since your lawyer has an incentive to go for cases that have a solid chance of winning in court, you are also receiving the benefit of honest legal advice. You Don’t Have to Pay Up Front One of the main advantages of hiring a no win no fee lawyer is that there is not an up-front investment on your part. This way, you will not have to worry about any legal bills while …

Storm surge from hurricane on beach

Still Dealing with Damage from Hurricane Michael? How We Can Help

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

It has been almost a month since Hurricane Michael made landfall near Panama City, Florida, but with $11.28 billion in damages, full recovery is still as much as a year away. Many homes and businesses sustained damage from Hurricane Michael leaving homeowners and tenants to file insurance claims and hope for the best. Sadly, insurance companies will not agree to cover all of the costs. If last year’s Hurricane Irma was any indication, as much as 40 percent of claims could go unpaid for up to six months. Some Hurricane Irma claims are still outstanding, more than a year after the homeowners and business owners filed them. How Our Insurance Litigation Services Work The attorneys at RRBH Law have one goal—to get you the money you deserve to deal with the damage from Hurricane Michael. And to help assure you that you won’t we out a lot of money by hiring us, we want you to know a few things. First, we work on contingency. What does that mean? It’s just a fancy way of saying that if you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. Our fee comes from your claim payout, so you don’t have to pay a …

Knight armor

Bad Faith Insurance: Are You REALLY Protected When It Matters?

RRBHLAWZENblogInsurance Litigation

We’ve all seen them—advertisements that portray the insurance company as a protector. When everything goes right, this portrayal can ring true. But what about bad faith insurance practices? Your insurance provider is supposed to act as a suit of armor for your and your loved ones. You hope you won’t need it, but you pay for it anyway, just in case the worst happens. When your insurance company acts in bad faith, it’s as if you were imagining that you were wearing the armor the whole time—when that happens, you need to take action. What Is Bad Faith Insurance? Insurance companies—as many of their ads claim—are supposed to protect their policyholders. When an insurance company fails to do so, either intentionally or negligently, that is what is known as a bad faith insurance practice. Insurance companies have an obligation by law to act in good faith. What that means is that when you file a claim, your insurance provider shouldn’t look for ways out of investigating the claim or paying you what they owe you. A Look at a Bad Faith Insurance Case Way back in the 1990s, the former owner of an auto repair shop had to file a …

sue your insurance man speaking on phone

5 Signs You Might Need to Sue Your Insurance

RRBHLAWZENblogHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation, Personal Injury Lawyer Florida

Do You Know When the Time Is Right to Sue Your Insurance? Insurance claims don’t always work the way that they should. Sometimes policyholders feel like they should have received more for their claims. Sometimes they feel like their claim was denied for little to no reason. One of the most common questions we receive is whether you can sue your own insurance company—the answer is a resounding yes. Whatever your circumstances, if you feel like you weren’t given a fair share, it might be time to sue your insurance company. If you notice these five signs, it’s time to call your attorney. #1: Your Insurance Denies Your Claim without Explanation When your insurance company denies a claim, they usually provide an explanation for the denial. Similarly, your company may have denied your claim without a thorough and proper investigation in the hopes that you will not challenge their decision. But by law, they are required to carefully investigate your claim to determine coverage. If your insurance does not explain the basis for the denial or fails to take your claim seriously, then you should seek legal counsel. #2: Your Insurance Excessively Delays Your Claim The purpose of insurance companies …

Hurricane Satellite Photo

Hurricane Preparation: It’s Time to Get Ready for the Next Irma

RRBHLAWZENHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation

Hurricane preparation requires planning and some investment, but knowing that your home will be less likely to sustain damage is worth the money and effort. Here are some of the essential preparations you need to make: Secure Your Home Strap down your roof. Many homes in Florida are designed to account for hurricane strap installation. However, if your home is older, you might need to retrofit your roof so that you can take this necessary precaution and prevent damage to this integral part of your home. Install head and foot bolts on your external doors. Extra security for your home’s entrances is a good idea. These bolts will keep your doors from flying open or detaching in high winds. Purchase storm shutters. Storm shutters protect your windows from being broken by flying debris and high wind pressure. You can buy shutters that are commercially made, or you can make them yourself. Be sure to use reinforced plywood that is at least five-eighths of an inch thick. Make windows and doorways watertight. Water that seeps into your home’s structure through cracks in door jambs and window fittings can cause serious water damage. The influx of moisture into the walls can also …