Hurricane Laura Insurance Claims for Greater Lake Charles area
Hurricane Laura was one of the strongest storms to ever hit Louisiana and has been designated “the most intense and dangerous hurricane to hit the United States this season” by the United Nations Weather Agency. After rolling through several coastal communities, Laura crashed ashore in the lower region of Louisiana, ripping through Lake Charles. Immense volumes of displaced water flooded communities while winds ranging up to 150 MPH caused severe damage to buildings in the affected areas.
Lake Charles was notably one of the hardest-hit communities, with nearly every home and business in the community having received some level of damage from the storm. Throughout the city, trees were uprooted, windows shattered, and buildings beaten by strong winds and flying debris. Lake Charles was only one stop on the storm’s path of destruction; Hurricane Laura plowed north for several more days, leaving more than 880,000 people without power and tens of thousands without access to drinkable water.
The storm is estimated to have caused anywhere from $4-12 billion in damages to Louisiana and Texas. More than 625,000 residential properties are said to have been exposed to tropical storm-force conditions or worse, while approximately 10,000 residential properties were hit with winds rating at Category 3 storm levels or higher.
The NPR states that many experts and officials say the storm’s damage was not as bad as initially expected and it could have been worse. While areas like Lake Charles were heavily damaged by the strong winds and floodwater, Laura mostly avoided densely populated regions like Houston and New Orleans. The storm also failed to send a catastrophic storm surge inland, further limiting the damage.
When a hurricane like Laura hits, most homeowners expect that the damage to their home will be repaired at the expense of their insurance provider. Unfortunately, it isn’t always that simple. If your property was damaged by this storm, you may have a legal right to fair compensation from your insurance provider. Don’t allow your insurance company to reject your claim without a fight: contact a hurricane insurance lawyer immediately to learn how you can refile your claim and receive an appropriate insurance settlement.