News

Car Accidents and Crash Injuries in Orlando Continue to Increase For the past five years, we have been experiencing a steady increase in the number of car accidents, injuries, and fatalities in Orange County.  While the number of deaths from automobile crashes has increased from 124 to 182 (31.87%) during this time period, the total number of crashes has exceeded 30,000 and the number of injuries has exceeded 21,000, as shown in the following chart. With population growth and increasing tourism, the trend does not seem likely to change, so those of us who live in the Orlando area need […]

Hurricane Irma Damages Attorney Whenever a hurricane or tropical storm makes landfall, the media coverage heightens our awareness of just how devastating these storms can be.  Hurricane Harvey, which hit Gulf Coast of Texas last week, has, however, blown away our previous perceptions of devastation. With pounding rain and flooding continuing for days, homes and businesses in the Houston area are being ruined, people are stranded, and power lines are down.  The extent of damage from the heavy rains and catastrophic flooding cannot yet be assessed as the aftermath of the nightmarish deluge of rain continues. Assessing the Damage At […]

What Florida Homeowners Insurance Companies Say While those of us in Central Florida waited apprehensively for Hurricane Irma to make its way up the state, insurance companies pre-emptively sent homeowner policy owners email messages to let them know they were ready to help out if Hurricane Irma damaged their homes. The messages informed Florida homeowners that their insurance companies have phone lines and web pages for reporting damage from Hurricane Irma, claim adjusters ready to assess the damage, and lists of preferred contractors for repairing damage. It sounds as if they’re all set to help out, and you’re all set […]

Last year, those of us who live in Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida area were lucky:  we made it through hurricane season with minimal disruption and damage.  Hopefully, we’ll have another uneventful year, but you never know what’s going to happen during hurricane season. We can’t prevent major storms from occurring, but we can help minimize their impact on our personal lives.  This year, let’s be prepared in case tropical storms or hurricanes hit our area: Have Hurricane Supplies on Hand If a hurricane or strong tropical storm hits the Orlando area, stores could be closed, and you could […]

The Sinkhole in Land O’ Lakes, Florida Recently, a huge sinkhole in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, swallowed two homes, a boat, part of a road, and a driveway.  In addition, five other homes near the 225 foot sinkhole have been declared unsafe. As the community in Pasco County north of Tampa waits to make sure the sinkhole is stable, heavy equipment is being brought in to clear away debris, water samples are being taken, and insurance adjusters are assessing the damage to the homes their companies insure. Meanwhile, the rest of us in Florida watch in horror as videos of […]

Know What’s Covered in Your  Florida Homeowner’s Insurance Policy As a Florida homeowner, you probably know you have a homeowner’s insurance policy that covers specific losses, damages, and injuries that could occur at your home.  However, beyond that general knowledge, you might not be aware of stipulations, limits, and exclusions that could affect your ability to get enough (or any) money from your insurance company to cover replacement, repair, and/or medical costs following a severe storm, fire, or accident at your home. As an experienced insurance claim attorney, I’ve seen far too many Florida homeowners shocked to find out that their […]

It’s very probable at some point while living in the Sunshine State you’ll have to file a Florida Homeowner’s Insurance Claim.  We’re well aware of the threat of hurricanes and the damage they cause to our homes, yards, and places of business.  However, hurricanes are only one of the many possible threats to our property.  Lightning damage, fire damage, and storm damage can be as severe as hurricane damage and just as difficult to handle. Preparing a Florida Homeowner’s Insurance Claim If any of your property has been damaged by lightning, fire, or a storm, you should contact your insurance […]

Have You or a Family Member Been Injured While on Someone Else’s Property? When you are a guest or customer on someone else’s property, you usually assume you are going to be safe.  However, this is not always the case.  Some property owners or managers do not take care of their property or are not aware of hazardous conditions on their property, situations which can put visitors at risk of getting injured. If you have been injured because of a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, and you had a right to be on the property, the person or people […]