A hurricane can damage a home or business in a matter of hours, while an insurance dispute can continue long after the storm passes.
At The Voorhies Law Firm, our New Orleans hurricane damage lawyers represent homeowners, business owners, and other policyholders facing delayed, denied, or underpaid hurricane claims.
A hurricane damage claim is a request for insurance benefits after a storm causes covered damage to a home, commercial building, personal property, or other insured property.
The policy determines what is covered, including applicable exclusions, deductibles, limits, valuation provisions, and requirements for reporting and documenting the loss.
Hurricane claims commonly involve roof and exterior damage, broken windows, water entering through storm-created openings, structural damage, damaged contents, and losses affecting commercial property or business operations.
One of the most important questions is often what caused the damage. A property policy may cover wind damage while excluding flooding caused by rising water or storm surge. Flood losses are generally handled through separate flood insurance rather than an ordinary homeowners policy.
When wind and water affect the same property, determining the sequence and source of the damage can become important. We may review photographs, engineering findings, weather information, repair estimates, prior property records, and policy language when evaluating the claim.
Louisiana law establishes requirements for insurers handling property claims, including special rules after catastrophic events. The policy itself remains central because available coverage depends on its specific terms.
Louisiana R.S. 22:1892: Louisiana requires insurers to adjust claims fairly and promptly. For catastrophic property losses, an insurer generally must begin adjustment within the period provided by statute after receiving notice of the loss.
Louisiana R.S. 22:1892.2: For qualifying catastrophic losses, the statute establishes payment deadlines after the insurer receives satisfactory written proof of loss.
Louisiana R.S. 22:1892.3: For qualifying catastrophic losses, insurers generally must transmit amounts due within 60 days after receiving satisfactory written proof of loss for residential property and within 90 days for nonresidential immovable property.
Louisiana R.S. 22:1318: Louisiana’s valued-policy law can affect qualifying total-loss claims under certain property policies. Whether it applies depends on the covered cause of loss and other facts.
Louisiana law also contains specific rules governing hurricane, named-storm, and wind-and-hail deductibles under qualifying homeowners policies. The deductible that applies can affect how much the insurer owes even when the damage itself is covered.
When litigation involving New Orleans property is properly filed in state court, a dispute may proceed in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, located at 421 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112. A case within federal jurisdiction may instead proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana at 500 Poydras Street. The appropriate forum depends on the policy, property, parties, and claims involved.
STEP 1
Review the insurance policy and document damage
We examine the policy in effect when the hurricane occurred and review photographs, video, repair estimates, and other available evidence showing the condition of the property and the scope of storm-related damage.
STEP 2
Determine what caused the loss
When wind and water both affected the property, we evaluate the available evidence to determine how the damage occurred.
STEP 3
Compare the insurer’s adjustment with the damage:
We review estimates, field-adjuster reports, engineering conclusions, depreciation, repair scopes, and coverage explanations to identify items that may have been omitted, disputed, or undervalued.
STEP 4
Prepare or supplement the claim
Some damage becomes apparent only after repairs begin or additional inspections are completed. We determine whether further documentation or a supplemental claim should be submitted.
STEP 5
Address a delay, underpayment, or denial toward a resolution
If the insurer disputes coverage or the amount owed, we compare its explanation with the policy and supporting evidence. We pursue payment of covered losses through negotiation or the appropriate legal process. If the dispute cannot be resolved, we prepare the case for litigation.
We represent homeowners, business owners, and other policyholders dealing with hurricane-related property damage and insurance disputes.
Depending on the circumstances, we may assist with:
Behind every hurricane damage dispute is a homeowner or business owner who paid their premiums in good faith and got less than they were owed when it finally mattered. We make sure the full value of that policy actually gets paid.
Results may vary, and every hurricane damage case depends on the policy language, the cause of the loss, and the specific facts involved.
The Voorhies Law Firm has recovered over $100 million for our clients, including significant hurricane damage results: $14 million, $9.3 million, $8 million, $6 million, $5.3 million, and $3.75 million across both residential and commercial claims.
"When a hurricane damaged our home, we partnered with The Voorhies Law Firm to handle our claim. They were professional, communicative, and did a fabulous job helping our family during a challenging time. We are grateful to have worked with them and highly recommend."
"Exceeded my expectations in handling my hurricane damage claim. He demonstrated his years of experience by quickly formulating a winning game plan soon after reviewing the facts. His multi-pronged resolution strategy offered multiple opportunities to either reinforce or reassess our positions during difficult negotiations. If I ever have another hurricane claim, this is the firm I plan to use."
"Mike Lonegrass was our attorney at the Voorhies Law Firm. He handled our Hurricane Ida claim and did an outstanding job! He told us what the process would be and what information would be needed. He explained every step in the process and obtained a great outcome for us."
"The Voorhies Law Firm was timely, sincere and always professional walking us through the process. We appreciated them being straightforward and honest with us."
“Before hiring The Voorhies Law Firm, I tried one of the major firms you see on billboards and TV after my accident. I quickly got the feeling I became just a number, and like compensating themselves was a higher priority than my wellbeing. Voorhies was a totally different firm. My wellbeing was priority number one. They took charge, not just holding the other party accountable, but arranging the health appointments needed to help get me back to normal. They were always available and accessible. Heaven forbid I ever go through this again, I would put my trust in Voorhies again for myself and anyone else.”
Hurricane insurance disputes can involve detailed policy language, engineering and causation questions, competing repair estimates, business losses, and Louisiana insurance laws. We focus on documenting the damage, understanding the coverage purchased, and determining whether the insurer has paid the benefits required under the policy.
If your home or business was damaged by a hurricane and your insurance company has delayed, denied, or underpaid the claim, we can review the policy, the insurer’s adjustment, and the evidence supporting the loss. Early review can also help identify policy requirements and legal deadlines before they expire.
The cause of the damage can determine which insurance policy responds. A standard homeowners policy generally does not cover rising floodwater, while wind damage may be covered depending on the policy. When both wind and water affected the property, we may review photographs, weather information, engineering findings, the sequence of damage, and policy language to evaluate the claim.
Start by reviewing the insurer’s written explanation and comparing it with the policy and your documentation. Photographs, repair estimates, contractor reports, receipts, engineering opinions, and prior property records may help address disputed damage. Depending on the circumstances, additional documentation, a supplemental claim, negotiation, appraisal, statutory notice, or litigation may be appropriate.
Louisiana has specific rules governing the adjustment and payment of qualifying catastrophic-loss claims. The deadline can depend on whether the property is residential or commercial, when the insurer received satisfactory proof of loss, and whether an authorized extension applies. We review the timeline together with the policy and applicable statute.
The insurer may investigate whether some conditions existed before the storm, but that does not necessarily answer whether the hurricane caused additional covered damage. Prior photographs, inspection records, maintenance documents, repair invoices, contractor findings, and expert analysis may help distinguish pre-existing conditions from new storm damage.
The deadline depends on the policy and the legal claims involved. Louisiana law limits how short certain first-party property policies can make the period for filing suit, while particular statutory claims may have their own prescriptive periods and notice requirements. We review the policy and applicable statutes before determining the deadline.
