what type of lawyer do you need for property damage

Do I need a lawyer for a property damage claim?

Do I need a lawyer for a property damage claim? You shouldn't need an attorney to help you with the insurance claim process. A few back-and-forth phone calls with the insurance agent and the auto shop should be enough to fix everything.

Who pays my attorney’s fees for home property damage?

Our home property damage lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe us no attorney’s fees unless we successfully obtain a payout for you. In some cases, the insurance company could be responsible for paying your attorney’s fees.

Should I hire a property damage attorney after a car accident?

However, if a vehicle were to run into your house or business and cause a significant amount of damage and your insurance company isn’t treating your claim fairly, a property damage attorney may be more inclined to intervene.

Do property damage attorneys have the most impact on settlements?

Property damage attorneys tend to have the most impact on settlements when the case is related to damaged homes or businesses. Home and business owners frequently seek the services of an attorney for claims involving:

Can you sue someone for property damage?

If an item causes damage to your property through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation (sometimes known as claiming 'damages').

What is the difference between physical damage and property damage?

Property damage refers to damage to a third party's property and is covered by commercial auto liability insurance. In most cases, physical damage...

What is malicious destruction of property?

To be termed malicious destruction of property, a person must willfully destroy, deface, or hurt another person's personal or real property.

Do I need a property damage attorney?

When property damage occurs to your home, you could end up facing serious losses that decimate your finances for the long-term. As you struggle to work through the insurance claim process, or attempt to hold the responsible parties accountable for the damage, you’re bound to lose a lot of time in the process.

Most Common Types of Property Damage Cases

Property damage cases arise most often when someone purposefully or carelessly destroys your home. You might also have a case if your insurance carrier does not honor their policy as written and fails to pay you for damage caused by a natural disasters and other incidents.

How Can a Property Damage Lawyer Help?

When property damage occurs to your home, you typically file a claim with your insurance company. That doesn’t mean that the carrier will accept coverage for the claim, or pay you on the claim.

When to Hire a Lawyer for Property Damage Claims

Whenever property damage occurs, it’s well worth speaking with a property damage lawyer about the situation in order to have them evaluate your claim. They’ll assess your claim and confirm if you’re being treated fairly by the insurance company.

Steps to Recouping Your Property Damage Losses

When property damage occurs, you’ll need to move through the following steps in seeking compensation.

Need Help from an Experienced Property Damage Lawyer?

If you need help from an experienced property damage lawyer, call 813-226-3372 to speak to our team at The Schwartz Law Firm. During your call, we’ll help you find a great time for your free, no-obligation consultation. You can then share the details of your case and get the info needed to decide if it’s worth moving forward.

What does a property damage attorney do?

A property damage attorney can provide guidance regarding what your policy covers and can give you an honest assessment of the insurance company’s settlement offer. If you don’t believe your insurance company is properly valuing your claim or treating you fairly, a property damage attorney can offer solutions to help you get ...

What type of attorney is most likely to have the most impact on settlements?

Property damage attorneys tend to have the most impact on settlements when the case is related to damaged homes or businesses. Home and business owners frequently seek the services of an attorney for claims involving:

Can property damage attorneys get involved in an auto accident?

Most property damage attorneys won’t get involved with an auto accident claim, for example, unless there were injuries involved, because the value of vehicles would rarely net a large enough settlement to make their time worthwhile. However, if a vehicle were to run into your house or business and cause a significant amount ...

2 attorney answers

Ideally a "construction defect" lawyer, many of whom worked as "general contractors" in the past and/or a "consumer" lawyer. Use Avvo's "find a lawyer" feature located on top of this page to locate an excellent one in your area.

Giacomo Jacques Behar

You must sue your neighbor to abate the nuisance created by his defective roof, which is artificially channeling water into your property. Your neighbor may choose to implead the contractor responsible for the design and installation, but your claims lie against your neighbor -- it is he that owes you a duty.

What kind of services do lawyers provide?

Lawyers can provide a wide range of services to their clients. Some lawyers handle many different types of cases. Some lawyers specialize in one or two types, such as family and divorce law.

Why do you need a lawyer for a contract?

Even in transactional civil matters, such as drafting a contract, a lawyer can be very helpful. A lawyer can make sure contracts are drafted correctly and avoid problems at a later date. A real estate purchase, business purchase, and/or creation of a trademark or copyright will most likely involve a lawyer.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is an individual who is licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers are also known as attorneys or an attorney at law. Some lawyers are licensed in multiple states. Some lawyers are admitted to practice at the Federal level as well.

Why is it important to have a family lawyer?

It is important in divorce cases for an individual to have a family lawyer representing them to ensure their rights are protected.

What is personal injury?

In a personal injury suit, an individual is injured, mentally and/or physically, because of an accident, defective product, or an act or failure to act by another. A court may award a plaintiff in a personal injury suit monetary damages for their injury. Civil law cases can be complex.

What is criminal law?

Criminal law is the body of laws that pertain to crimes. Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies.

Do lawyers handle different types of cases?

There are many different types of lawyers that handle many different types of cases. Some cases may even overlap practice areas. Most lawyers have experience with a variety of cases and will be able to help you with your needs. Despite the prevalence of “lawyer jokes”, lawyers are service oriented and look out for the best interest of their clients.

How to start a property damage claim?

How to start the property damage claim after an accident. The first step in a property-damage-only accident is still like any other: Make sure nobody was hurt. That's the most important thing. Then, call the police. You will need the record of the accident for the insurance company. Make your own accident report, too.

What is property damage?

Property damage is injury or harm to anything other than a person, basically. This could include a car, tree, home, fence or anything else you could think of. This could also include items inside of an automobile, like technical equipment or things you were carrying with you (e.g., textbooks, a laptop or a car seat for your child).

How is damage illustrated in a car accident?

Damages are illustrated by their replacement value, the cost of repairs, the loss of use until the items are replaced or repaired, or testimony as to their sentimental value if the item in question is a family heirloom. When property damage occurs in a car accident, it will usually be handled through insurance companies.

How long can you sue someone for property damage?

Additionally, your state will also have a time limit on when you can bring a lawsuit against someone for property damage. This varies between 2-6 years depending on your state.

Can you sue someone for damage to your car?

There may be a time when you want to sue someone directly for the property damage caused to your car. For example, you might want to file a lawsuit in small claims court against someone who caused damage to your property to recover the deductible you had to pay to your insurance company. If you want to pursue the at-fault party for damages ...

Can you file a civil suit if you don't live in a no fault state?

You would file a civil suit for property damages. That is, you can if you don't live in a no-fault state. In a no-fault state, you generally are expected to handle all car accidents through insurance. (Read more about fault in personal injury cases) Generally small claims court lawsuits do not involve lawyers.

Do you have to report an accident to your insurance company?

Additionally, the language in your insurance contract generally requires you to report any accident to your insurer, regardless of who is at fault. This also helps if the other insurance company is slow to take action on fixing your car.