Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law has more than three decades of experience successfully taking on insurance companies for clients. Choosing us to handle your case means choosing a law firm with:
- More than 35 years of experience representing clients
- Three staff attorneys who are Texas Board Certified
- An exemplary record of winning over $1 billion in compensation
- A no-fee guarantee
- Free consultations for new cases.
You also get direct, 24/7 access to our office in case of an emergency or any other important issue that might arise.
Insurance Companies Acting in Bad Faith
Hurricanes are one of the most destructive forces on the planet. In Texas, they cause billions of dollars of damage and destruction, life-threatening injuries, and death. Hurricane policyholders need quick and just compensation for their losses, but often, insurance companies make this difficult or impossible by conducting business in bad faith.
A flood damage attorney can help you deal with these obstacles.
At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we know the insurance companies’ tactics and how to combat them every step of the way. If you have had a claim denied, we’re here to help.
Contact our office at (713) 973-8888, and set up a consultation with an experienced flood damage claim denied lawyer today.
What Happens If a Flood Insurance Claim Is Denied?
According to various federal and state agencies, storms and natural disasters have been increasing in intensity in recent years, most notably in Texas. What this has caused is an increase in the losses associated with property damage, as well as higher casualty tolls.
Now more than ever, policyholders with flood insurance need timely access to the funds their policies are meant to provide.
Sadly, flood victims often find themselves dealing with denied, delayed, and reduced claims in their moments of need. The same holds true for hurricane victims and those who have experienced hail damage.
What happens if a flood insurance claim is denied? Fortunately, a denial does not automatically close the book on your claim. There are additional steps a policyholder can take to get what’s rightfully theirs.
Upon issuing a denial, the insurance company must also transmit, in writing, an explanation for this denial, which must be reasonable. If they do not do this or they give you a reason that’s unjustifiable, then they may be held liable for their bad faith actions through a lawsuit.
Before choosing to file a lawsuit, you have the right to explore an appeal of the insurance company’s decision. Keep in mind that you can do irreparable harm to your claim during this stage of the process by signing paperwork that says you agree with the insurance company’s assessment of your case.
You can also lose out on proper compensation by cashing any checks or spending funds sent to you by the insurance company. Reaching out to an attorney for help is highly recommended. If your appeal is unsuccessful, then a bad-faith lawsuit is your next recourse.
At any stage of the claims process, before or after the denial, your case has a higher chance of success and more money when a competent flood claim attorney is on your side. Even speaking with an insurance lawyer during an initial consultation, which is generally free, can help.
Justice Through a Bad-Faith Insurance Claim Lawsuit
A Houston Flood Claim Denied Attorney Can Help You Get Financial Justice
Insurance companies have a duty to their policyholders to maintain and administer their policies in good faith and reliably. What this means is that they must honor the policies they underwrite without unreasonably denying, delaying, or reducing claims. If they do not, then they may be held liable in a bad-faith insurance claim lawsuit.
When you hire a flood damage attorney to represent you in a bad-faith claim lawsuit, they will be tasked with demonstrating that the insurance company handling your claim acted unreasonably in relation to your claim. This can be done by presenting evidence that demonstrates the company’s bad faith actions.
Acts of Bad Faith
Bad faith can be described as behaving in such a way that demonstrates that a party is not or will not keep its promises regarding a contract or other obligation. The following acts are typical examples of how insurance companies might act in bad faith:
- Failing to communicate acknowledgment of receipt of a claim
- Failure to do due diligence in investigating a claim
- Reducing a claim payout without proper justification
- Altering the policy materially without notifying the policyholder
- Taking an unreasonable amount of time to settle claims
- Requesting unnecessary documents from a policyholder
- Denying claims without providing a justifiable reason or any reason at all
- Accusing a policyholder without cause
- Employing threats and strong-arm tactics during the process
- Dissuading policyholders from seeking legal assistance.
In other words, bad faith in the insurance claims realm is any willful action taken by the insurer which is designed or intended to prevent the proper payout of a valid claim in a timely manner.
Recoverable Losses
Bad-faith acts by insurers often lead to more losses for flood victims, on top of the ones they are already dealing with from the flood. You can seek to have these additional losses compensated in a bad-faith insurance claim suit, on top of the money you are owed for your claim.
Recoverable losses in bad faith insurance claims include:
- Up to triple the amount of the original valid claim
- Attorney’s fees, court costs and fees, and other similar expenses
- Mental anguish
- Punitive damages in cases where the insurer acted willfully and maliciously.
When you hire an experienced Houston flood claim denied attorney, you can count on them to seek the maximum compensation available for your losses.
How a Seasoned Flood Damage Attorney Can Get You Justice
A Skilled Flood Damage Attorney Will Negotiate Hard for You
You may be familiar with legal shows on television that invariably end up in trial. However, not all successful flood damage claims need to be argued before a jury. Before both sides set foot in a courtroom for trial, they will engage in negotiations to try to iron out a settlement.
Negotiating a settlement is usually favored over heading to trial, principally because of how long trials take. Adept flood insurance lawyers can often get the figure they want with fierce and effective negotiating tactics developed over years of representing clients, which means you get your payout faster.
With that being said, trials aren’t always avoidable. Sometimes the offer from the insurance company is too low or remains denied after negotiations. When this occurs, your advocate will be ready.
Flood insurance lawyers will also handle all of the clerical and document duties, from filing the lawsuit on time to responding to defendant and court communications. You won’t have to worry about proper procedure and beating deadlines while you rebuild your life.
Why Choose Us to Help with Your Denied Flood Damage Claim?
Our Flood Insurance Lawyers Fight for the Financial Remedy You Need
It’s impossible to turn back the hands of time, but financial resources can help immensely in re-creating the life you had before the flood. The team at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law always fights for maximum compensation.
Over more than 30 years, we’ve provided diligent representation for thousands of clients, and we’ve won significant settlements and verdicts for them. We never back down from a fight, and we will go to great lengths to get our clients what they deserve so that they can start rebuilding their homes and lives.
By choosing Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, you get the benefit of representation by a firm with:
- A winning record with over $1 billion recovered for clients
- A former municipal judge as its founder
- Three seasoned board-certified attorneys ready to take your case
- More than three decades of reliable service in the Houston area and beyond
- Numerous professional accolades and awards
- Strong community ties and community involvement
- A reputation for giving 110% or more on every case.
Call (713) 973-8888 today to set up a free consultation with a flood damage claim denied lawyer who gets results for their clients.
Frequently Asked Questions for a Flood Damage Attorney
If the claims process is causing you confusion, you’re not alone. Some of the issues are complex, and much of the terminology is foreign. To help you understand more about what transpires in these cases, take a look at some common questions clients have.
A bad-faith insurance claim will expire in Texas if it’s not filed within two years of the act of bad faith. Afterward, it becomes invalid in most cases. There is an exception that allows the time limit to be extended by 180 days if your flood claim attorney can prove that the insurance company willfully tried to dissuade you from filing your claim or to convince you to postpone it.
In all legal actions, time is of the essence. As such, it’s important to reach out to a flood damage claim denied lawyer sooner rather than later. Even if your claim has not yet been denied, consulting with an insurance lawyer during the pre-denial phase can help get your claim honored and get you speedy justice for the bad-faith damage you’ve suffered.
Despite the rush to deny or undercut flood damage claims, there are a variety of valid reasons that routinely lead to claims being justifiably denied, at least initially. They include:
- A history of missed premium payments
- Filing the flood claim after the deadline
- Providing incomplete and insufficient documentation
- Exclusionary clauses contained in your policy.
If you have had a claim denied for these or other reasons, you may still have a valid claim. It’s highly recommended that you speak to a flood damage claim denied lawyer who can give you an evaluation of your case and help you understand what your options are for moving forward.
Most Houston flood claim denied attorneys take bad-faith insurance claim lawsuits on a contingency basis. In other words, they do not charge upfront to represent you during the lawsuit. Upon receiving a settlement or a verdict, your attorney will be paid a percentage of the award.
In some bad-faith insurance lawsuits, plaintiffs are commonly awarded attorney’s fees. As such, the payout to the victim will be much higher. Note, however, that you will accrue other costs during your lawsuit in addition to and separate from attorney’s fees, and these will be deducted from your award.
The facts and circumstances of each bad-faith insurance claim are unique and make it impossible to give a specific time frame for the resolution of a case. However, in most cases, disputes settled before trial take much less time than those that end up in court. However, in some cases, a trial is worth it.
At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we know how hard rebuilding after a flood can be, and we know how vital financial resources are in this process. Sometimes, it takes time to resolve claims issues, and you may need to go to trial to get the money you’re entitled to.
Whatever the circumstances, you can always rely on us to fight hard to keep insurance companies in check and make them pay when they engage in bad-faith practices and fail to pay out valid claims in a timely manner.
If you did not get the answers you were searching for, feel free to give us a call anytime with your questions and concerns. We make every effort to keep our clients in the know and prepared for what’s to come.
Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law Works Diligently to Hold Insurance Companies Accountable
Our Flood Insurance Lawyers Can Help You Get the Relief You Need
Floods have a devastating impact on everything they touch and can turn your life upside down. When one occurs, you need quick and adequate payment from the policy you have maintained for years . . . not a run-around from your insurance company.
At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we press insurance companies to pay what they owe and hold them accountable for unreasonably denied, delayed, and reduced claims.
Don’t let your insurer take advantage of your vulnerable situation. Contact our office at (713) 973-8888 to take the first step toward getting the payout you deserve and putting your life back together. Our attorneys are ready to sit down with you and explore your future.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]
