Ylla|Gosney of Oklahoma City takes on unhelpful insurance providers when they try to rob victims of compensation after damaging natural events like earthquakes. We help home and property owners file claims backed with evidence to earn the maximum recovery help possible. We also assist clients who have had their claims unfairly rejected. Contact us today to set up a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Suffering Earthquake Damage?
Not every earthquake damage victim will need a lawyer to get fair treatment from insurers. If your damage isn’t major and your insurer seems to be providing what’s promised in your policy, an attorney may not be able to improve your outcome.
But when the damage is extensive, and repairs or replacement will be much more expensive, it’s a good time to consult with a skilled Oklahoma City Earthquake Damage Claims Lawyer. A claims lawyer documents your damage, files your claims, and often secures much more for your claim than you would handling your case yourself.
Without a skilled lawyer safeguarding your claim, insurers can try these tactics and more to try to limit the support that’s paid out:
- Undervalue your damage
- Overlook portions of your damage
- Underestimate the cost of rebuilding your home or business destroyed by an earthquake
- Flatly deny your claim and provide you with nothing
- Delay a response so that you become desperate enough to accept any settlement amount offered
If your case is complex or an insurance adjuster doesn’t seem to be taking your damage seriously, a lawyer may be able to help. If your claim has been rejected, don’t give up hope. A skilled lawyer may be able to file an appeal or a lawsuit that forces an insurance company to accept responsibility.
Earthquake Damage Risks in Oklahoma City
Not everyone realizes it, but the Oklahoma City area is actually a dangerous place for seismic activity. Overall, Oklahoma experiences hundreds of tremors every month. Most don’t do any real damage, but Oklahoma City has endured some decent-sized earthquakes in recent years.
The AP reported on a 5.1 magnitude quake in February of 2024 that frightened residents and sent some people’s possessions falling to the floor. That earthquake followed at least six tremors of above 4.0 magnitude around the city in January.
The largest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma was felt in September of 2016. It was centered near Pawnee and measured 5.8 in magnitude. It caused severe structural damage in places and brought down a chimney on a man, causing injury. The Denver Post reported that 40 to 50 buildings were damaged.
It’s impossible to know when the next serious tremor will hit, and that’s why people pay their homeowners insurance premiums and even purchase additional protection against earth movement. Sadly, many victims wake up to damage to their homes or even a destroyed home, only to receive far too little from insurers to rebuild their homes, businesses, and lives. A skilled Oklahoma City Earthquake Undervalued Claim Lawyer can help you avoid this common outcome.
Does My Homeowners Insurance Cover Oklahoma Earthquake Damage?
Most standard homeowners insurance policies don’t cover earthquake destruction. However, there are some mishaps caused by tremors that could earn you support.
- Fire caused by an earthquake
- Explosions caused by an earthquake
- Theft or vandalism to your earthquake damage property
Many carriers do offer earthquake protection in their comprehensive plans. It’s critical that you know exactly what your homeowners or renter’s insurance plan covers. Check over your policy, and if you can’t find answers, contact your insurance agent.
How Can an Oklahoma City Lawyer Get Me More For My Earthquake Damage Claim?
Insurance adjusters are trained to find ways to reject your homeowners claims or award as little support as possible.
These are just a few of the ways Ylla | Gosney Attorneys at Law help you fight back against insurance tactics used after a disaster:
- We inspect the earthquake damage ourselves to determine the real cost of repairing your property
- We call out insurance adjusters when their damage estimates are too low
- We help you reject “lowball” settlement offers that won’t cover all of your damages and help you demand more
- We take action when insurance companies purposely delay a response and can report the insurers to the Oklahoma Insurance Department
- We use our experience at the negotiating table to demand the maximum compensation for our clients
- Will can help you file an appeal or a lawsuit if your damage claim is rejected unfairly
The Types of Earthquake Damage Claims We Help Clients With
Earthquakes can certainly frighten victims and, in the aftermath, leave them without a home to return to. The devastating can be pretty obvious after some tremors, but other damages may be harder to notice at first.
Unskilled insurance adjusters can miss important signs of damage. They may also be instructed to ignore some harm, so their corporate bosses don’t have to pay out as much in support. It’s usually the homeowner who will be stuck with the bill for repairs needed in the years ahead. Beyond financial concerns, some of these overlooked factors can end up putting your family’s wellbeing in danger after moving back in.
Insurance companies should move quickly to help policyholders quickly get repairs underway on these and other projects:
- Roof damage
- Structural damage
- Collapsed houses and businesses
- Fireplace and chimney damage
- Plumbing damage
- Window and doorway damage
- Cracks left in walls and foundations
- Mold damage
- Tree and yard damage
- Vehicle damage
- Replacement of furniture and other damaged possessions
After a major earthquake shakes Oklahoma City, insurers may spend more time trying to limit or deny claims than actually helping victims rebuild their lives. That’s when Ylla|Gosney Attorneys at Law steps in to force insurance providers to act quickly and to provide what’s actually needed to fix all damage safely and effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a damage claim in Oklahoma?
There’s no set deadline unless a policy indicates one. Victims should act quickly to explore their legal options so that an attorney has the best access to fresh evidence.
How long should I wait on insurance support after an Earthquake?
Oklahoma requires insurers to acknowledge they’ve received an earthquake claim within 20 days of its arrival. The insurer must alert victims of the forms they’ll need to fill out within 30 days of the claim being filed. At 45 days, the insurer must alert victims if they’ve accepted or denied the claim or ask for an extension. Upon acceptance and paperwork being finished, insurers have 45 days to provide a settlement check. Contact a lawyer if you are made to wait well beyond these limits.
What if I can’t afford to pay an Oklahoma City Homeowner’s Insurance Claim Lawyer?
If we can help you secure more for your recovery, you won’t need any money to hire Ylla|Gosney. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our pay comes out of settlement money an insurer is forced to provide to you.
Contact an Oklahoma City Earthquake Damage Insurance Claims Lawyer
If you have major damage and are worried about getting full support when you file your claim, contact Ylla|Gosney for a free case consultation. You should also speak to a lawyer if you’ve been underpaid for your earthquake damages or if your claim has already been unfairly rejected.
There’s no obligation for this free case review. We will sit down with any victim in Oklahoma and help them sort out their best options. A consultation is an easy way to determine if you should be expecting more for your claim than you originally thought and how to hold an insurer fully responsible.
