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The Florida Legislature was busy in 2021 and 2022, passing the most sweeping insurance reform bills in history which severely limited policyholders' rights.  Believing insurance litigation—not internal insurance company mismanagement—to be the cause of the current insurance crisis in Florida (col...

Statistics reported in April—Distracted Driving Awareness Month—show distracted driving has become an increasingly common and fatal hazard.  According to the 2023 Travelers Risk Index 70% of survey respondents reported they feel distracted driving is more of a problem now than it was a few years ...

Many of us in Escambia and Santa Rosa County have used rideshare companies like Uber® or Lyft® to hitch a quick, affordable ride for a number of reasons: to avoid driving in traffic, the difficulty in finding parking, or to avoid driving after having had a few drinks.  The ease and convenience of...

What you do immediately after an auto accident can have a dramatic impact on your legal rights and your ability to recover losses and damages after the accident, this includes an accident where you were driving, riding in, or collided with a vehicle being operated under a rideshare service such a...

In February, United Property and Casualty Insurance Co. (“UPC”) was declared insolvent and went into receivership.  This left thousands of Florida homeowners—many still with damage from Hurricane Ian—scrambling to find insurance coverage.  Most turned to Florida's insurer of last resort, Citizens...

If you were in an accident caused by an Uber® or Lyft® driver, you have the right to sue the Uber driver for your injuries and losses.  Every driver on Florida roads has an obligation to drive safely and will be liable for any injuries caused by his or her negligent driving, whether driving for a...

In any dispute there are, at least, two sides to the story.  In an insurance dispute, it is typically the policyholders claiming their insurance company failed to pay their claim timely or in full.  In response, the insurance company will often raise defenses that they claim justify their delay o...

Wonder what the real cause is behind the “insurance crisis” in Florida?  Insurance companies not paying claims could be the primary reason.  A recent article out of the Washington Post shows insurance companies with Hurricane Ian claims have been taking damages estimates prepared by their field a...

As drivers in Florida, we are all aware of the increased number of Uber® and Lyft® drivers there are on the roads.  It would be difficult to find someone who hasn't used their services.  Millions of drivers nationwide have become Uber or Lyft drivers to generate flexible full-time or part-time in...

An insurance company has to live up to the terms of the policy which includes paying for damages to covered property. It is a breach of the agreement for the insurance company to try to escape paying for the claim by using alternative facts, contending the property was damaged before the storm ...

As Floridians, many of us have gone through the process of filing an insurance claim for hurricane damage. This means many of you have seen your insurance company attempt to undervalue your claim by saying the damage was not caused by the massive amounts of wind and rain that were dumped on your ...

We know there are hundreds of homeowners in south Florida right now who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.  As insurance attorneys who have been helping homeowners with hurricane claims for decades, we know, often the most stressful part of going through a hurricane is dealing with ...

For those of you who suffered damage from Hurricane Ian, you may have been displaced from your home as a result.  Destructive winds and rainwater can wreak havoc and often leave a home uninhabitable, forcing you and your family to live somewhere else until your home is repaired or otherwise resto...

In recent years, Uber® and Lyft® have become dominant players in the transportation business by providing commuters with affordable, on-demand access to rideshare services.  However, with the influx of rideshare drivers on the road—both those transporting customers or driving between fares—our ro...

For those who have suffered damage from Hurricane Ian, your days are probably filled with stress and worry over your insurance claim and when you will be able to begin repairs on your home, which is your most significant investment.  While purchasing the right type and amount of coverage is essen...

Let's get physical.  For most physicians, their job is not only mentally taxing but also physically demanding, requiring you to bend, squat, reach, hold uncomfortable positions for hours, and muscle your way through tedious procedures and exhausting shifts.  For this reason, you likely purchased ...

Communicating with your insurance company is a critical part of the claims process. Often, by the time we are brought in to assist with a claim that has broken down, the claim history consists primarily of letters and emails between the policyholder and the insurance company.  It is in your best ...

We know many homeowners in south Florida have suffered severe damage to their homes from Hurricane Ian.  Many are likely trying to work with their insurance company now to agree on the amount and scope of the damages and begin to get repairs underway.  Some homeowners hire a contractor to put t...

So, you feel your insurance company is treating you unfairly and acting in bad faith?  The first step to perfect your claim for bad faith will be to file a Civil Remedy Notice (“CRN”) with Florida's Department of Financial Services (“DFS”).  On the required CRN form, they will they will ask you w...

When you tell your insurance company “You owe me X dollars to fix my house,” you expect them to pay that amount, or at least an amount close enough you're willing to accept it.  What do you do if they respond with “Well, we don't like that number.  Here's 30% of it.”  As experienced hurricane att...

We understand.  For many southern Floridians wrestling with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and trying to get their insurance claims adjusted and their properties restored, your first instinct after Ian was likely to start cleaning everything up, making repairs, and putting your house and life bac...

“We investigated your insurance claim and found some of the damage to your home is not covered because it was not caused by the storm.”  As insurance lawyers who have been helping policyholders with their hurricane claims for decades, we've seen insurance companies take this stance a lot.  And, i...

We know there are hundreds of homeowners in southern Florida right now who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.  As insurance attorneys who have been helping homeowners with hurricane claims for decades, we know, often the most stressful part of going through a hurricane is dealing wi...

We get this question a lot.  A homeowner suffers damage to their home.  They notify their insurance company of the loss.  The insurance company inspects the damage then sends the homeowner a check.  Some homeowners worry what impact cashing the check may have on their ability to recover more mone...

To state a claim for bad faith, the policyholder must allege “specific facts and circumstances” that prove the insurer acted in bad faith.  To State Farm's dismay, an accusation that it “lowballed” the claim is enough to state a claim for bad faith according to a recent opinion out of the Florida...