There is nothing worse as a property owner than to discover that your basement has flooded because of a raging storm, or you are left dealing with a totaled motor vehicle because of another person's negligent driving. Yet, these situations happen all the time in Brooklyn and often put the victim of this property damage in an incredibly difficult position, usually leaving them to pick up the pieces while dealing with the insurance companies who like to use deceitful practices to deny property damage claims for the sake of making money.
However, you do not have to go through this challenging situation alone. When you work with Dolman Law Group, we are here for you. Our Brooklyn Property Damage Lawyers are ready to take on these problematic claims, handle these dishonest insurance companies, and fight for the justice and damages you deserve.
About Dolman Law Group and Dolman Law Group
Founded in 2009 by President and Managing Partner Matthew Dolman, Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers has made it a point to represent injured victims and provide them with the legal support they need during this difficult time. Combined with our affiliated law firm, Dolman Law Group, we have the reach and resources to make it easy to serve our Brooklyn clients.
Our firm understands that as a victim of an accident, you are looking for answers and guidance. To ensure you get the help you need, our legal team can meet with you one-on-one to go over your case and help you understand your legal options: Specifically, explaining what we can do to make sure that your claim is handled properly.
Brooklyn Property Damage Claims: What are They?
In general, property damage claims are a request to receive financial compensation for property that has been damaged in an accident or due to some external cause. Typically, there are two types of property damage claims: damage to real property and damage to personal property.
Usually, physical injuries are not a part of a property damages claim, but they can still result. For instance, in a car accident, you can have both a property damage claim and a personal injury claim.
Real Property Damages in Brooklyn
When there is a real property damage claim, it usually involves a person's business, home, or land that sustained some type of harm.
In Brooklyn, the most common causes of real property damage include:
Generally, property insurance policies should cover these types of claims and provide the policyholder with compensation for their losses. But many times, these policyholders either do not know what is covered by their policy or their insurance company decides to deny their claim. In these situations, it is best to contact the law offices of Dolman Law Group. Our property damage attorneys can get to work figuring out why your claim was denied, determine what your policy covers, and fight for the compensation you need.
Personal Property Damage in Brooklyn: What Is Included?
Automobile accidents are often the primary area where you will see a personal property damages claim. Following a car accident, you are entitled to seek reimbursement from the at-fault driver for damages to your car, as well as your other damaged personal belongings such as your cell phone, laptop, or even jewelry. Frequently, personal property damage claims include the cost to repair your automobile, the fair market value of your car if the crash resulted in a total loss, rental car costs, and the replacement value of any upgrades you made to your vehicle.
Brooklyn Property Damage Claims: Time Limitations
In Brooklyn, the statute of limitations to bring a property damages claim is typically three years, regardless of whether your damages involve damage to your vehicle, house, or land. If you do not bring a claim within this allotted amount of time, you can be barred from collecting compensation for your damages. However, it is essential to note that this time can be shortened or extended depending on the facts of the case. For these reasons, it is best not to wait to contact an experienced property damage attorney. When you work with our legal team, we can go over your case, figure out how much time you have to file your claim, and ensure that all legal motions are filed promptly and correctly.
Evaluating Brooklyn Property Damages
Numerous factors can affect the value of your property damages claim, including:
The type of property that was damaged
The extent of these damages
The recovery that you are looking for
Quite often, damages can be estimated based on market value and cost of repairs. However, there are always exceptions for unique personal property and real property, resulting in unpredictable damage calculations. As a result of these complexities, it is best to work with a skilled and knowledgeable property damages lawyer who can review your case in detail, help you figure out what other elements can end up affecting the value of your claim, and prepare the best case in response.
Improve Your Claim: Start at the Scene
If you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, the scene is often quite hectic and stressful. Yet, what most people fail to realize is the actions they take following their accident can not only help keep them safe, but also improve their chances of obtaining a successful property damages claim.
That is why following the incident, take these steps:
Contact 911: After a car accident, you need to contact the police. It is the fastest way to get your crash on record and ask for medical assistance. Not only can EMS provide any necessary medical help. But the police can also start an investigation when they arrive at the scene, taking down critical information and issuing traffic citations. Consequently, this report can provide you with important information you may need when you bring your claim.
Collect evidence: If it is safe, start taking pictures and videos of the accident scene. Take photos of the cars involved, the damage to your vehicle from every angle, the vehicle's positions, any damage to personal property, any skid marks on the road, traffic signs near the crash, and any other details that can show what happened.
Driver information: Make sure you get the other driver's name, contact information, license number, and insurance information, including the name, policy number, and telephone number of the driver's insurance company. If the other driver made any admissions, such as saying “I did not see you” or “I'm sorry, it was my fault,” write it down.
Witnesses information: If any people present at the accident scene saw what happened, get their name, and contact information. Their statements can provide you with valuable evidence that can help substantiate your claims.
Make a list: As soon as you can, make a list of all the damaged personal property in the crash. If possible, try to locate pictures of the items before the accident and take photos of how they look after the accident. In addition, gather receipts for these items or other documentation to show the replacement value for each broken item.
Create a claims journal: Additionally, try to create a journal following the accident that can help you remember important dates and information that can be critical for your claim, including the time and date of the crash, summaries of the discussions you had with claims adjusters, and conversations you had with witnesses.
Contact an experienced Brooklyn property damage attorney: Even if you cannot get all this evidence following your crash, it does not mean all hope of a successful property damage claim is gone. When you contact an experienced Brooklyn property damage attorney after your accident, these lawyers can start investigating your accident quickly, gathering the vital evidence needed to show what happened and who was at fault, and prepare the best case to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Low Settlement Offers or Claim Denials in Brooklyn Property Damage Cases
Typically, when you file a property damages claim, a claim's adjuster will be assigned to your case, responsible for assessing the damages to your property. Once they determine the extent of the insurance's liability, they will then certify the amount of money you are eligible for.
Even though the process may seem relatively straightforward, numerous issues can result, including the insurance adjuster offering you a meager settlement or denying your claim altogether. However, you can fight these unfair actions. When you contact Dolman Law Group, our legal team can quickly get to work, challenging the provider's assessment and fighting for an amount that is fair to you.
Bad Faith Insurance in Brooklyn Property Damage Claims—What It Means, and What You Can Do About It
Many victims of a property damage accident expect the insurance company to work with them and get them the money and the help they need. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
The first thing you need to understand is that an insurance company is a business that wants to make a profit. When they offer you less money than you deserve, or they deny your claim, they get to maximize this profit. For these reasons, it is not unsurprising that some insurance companies and adjusters will take part in bad faith acts, or rather acts that involve them doing everything they can to not fully reimburse you for your losses, including denying your claim.
Fortunately, if you believe you have experienced these bad faith actions by the insurance company, you can take legal action. When you contact our firm, we can review your claim, figure out what happened, and if you have a bad faith insurance claim, we can sue the insurance company for damages.
Contact the Dolman Law Group and Fight for the Justice You Deserve in Your Brooklyn Property Damage Claim
Property damage happens, leaving victims throughout Brooklyn with considerable expenses and issues they need to handle. What is even worse about these situations is that these victims are often left dealing with insurers that do everything they can to prevent them from getting the money you need.
However, when you work with Dolman Law Group, we can step in and take on this difficult ordeal for you. You have enough to worry about. You should not have to stress about what these insurance companies will try to do next. Instead, let our firm take on these complicated proceedings and provide you the help you need.
Our experienced Brooklyn property damage attorneys can:
Go over your case, figure out the extent of your property damages, answer any questions you may have, and figure out what legal actions you need to take.
Investigate your property accident, interview relevant witnesses, and gather the vital evidence needed to show liability and damages.
Take over the discussions and negotiations with the insurance company, ensuring you do not say anything that can hurt your claim while fighting for a fair settlement amount.
Take your case to trial if the other side is unwilling to negotiate.
If you or a family member suffered any property damages in Brooklyn because of another person's negligent actions, intentional wrongdoings, or by some natural disaster, do not hesitate any longer. Contact Dolman Law Group today at 833-552-7274.
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/contact-us/
Matthew Dolman
Personal Injury Lawyer
This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits. Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.