(Note: This Guest Blog is by Kristin Demers-Crowell, an attorney with Merlin Law Group in the Tampa, Florida, office. This is part of a series that she and fellow attorney Donna DeVaney are writing on sinkhole issues).
Although infrequent, yesterday’s tragedy in Saint-Jude, Quebec, is a startling reminder that catastrophic sinkholes do happen.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qa02z32ubpQ%26hl%3Den_US%26fs%3D1%26rel%3D0%26color1%3D0x2b405b%26color2%3D0x6b8ab6
Insurance adjusters are sometimes unsympathetic when an insured is fearful of living in a sinkhole home. After seeing this event, it gives one a new perspective of the pops and cracks residents often hear as they lie in bed at night.
Yesterday I was defending an examination under oath for a sinkhole claim in Spring Hill. Afterwards, as I ate lunch at Applebee’s, I overheard a lady lamenting at how an insurance company had confirmed sinkhole activity at her home five months ago, but had still not made a payment for the repairs. She was scared. People living in these conditions deserve to have their claims handled professionally and expeditiously. For insureds who are not receiving that level of service, we can help.