Tennessee Vandalism Insurance Lawyers
Skilled counsel for policyholders throughout the Midwest and Southeast whose property has been vandalized
Many of the issues involved with vandalism claims are similar to theft claims. Somebody violated your security or violated your trust. The value of the damage needs to be determined. The people who committed these offenses need to be caught.
At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, we understand how traumatic it is just to think someone would purposely try to destroy your home, your business, and your possessions. We work with law enforcement to provide the information they need to help capture the person/people who committed these terrible wrongs. We work with your insurance company to determine what parts of your property and which possession can be repaired and which ones need to be replaced. We also work with contractors to analyze if parts of your home need to be rebuilt and with appraisers to determine the value of your property damage.
What types of vandalism are there?
Vandalism can range from minor pranks to serious destruction of your property and possessions. They can include:
- Destroying landscaping
- Breaking windows and doors
- Flooding
- Spray painting
- Arson (although this may be covered under the fire protection of your policy, depending on your policy language)
Commercial vandalism can be due to actions by competitors, protestors, or people who just want to personally do you harm. Some vandals destroy churches and synagogues.
Vandalism repairs can require removing graffiti, getting rid of noxious odors, disinfecting your property, repairing the items that can be fixed, installing new windows, carpets, and doors, and other repairs depending on the scope of the damage. If the damage is complete such as the destruction of a building by arson, it may be necessary to rebuild your home or business from scratch. Many parts of your home, business, or organization (including the contents) will need to be replaced. If your computer equipment is destroyed, it will likely need to be replaced too.
Insurance issues in cases of vandalism
Most policies normally cover damage related to vandalism. Some exceptions may exist, though. For example, you may need a vacancy endorsement as a part of your insurance coverage if your home or commercial property was vacant for a substantial amount of time.
Our skilled Tennessee-based vandalism dispute lawyers will help you resolve or litigate, when necessary, the following vandalism insurance disputes:
- Assessing the property damage. In addition to the inspectors the insurance company will send to your home or business, we work with experienced experts who can analyze the full extent of the damage to walls, floors, landscaping, and ever part of your structures. We work to place a value and a timeline on the necessary repairs. If items can’t be fixed, we work to determine the true cost to replace them. We also work with appraisers to determine the value, preferably replacement value, of the possessions that can’t be saved.
- Business interruption losses. If you have a business interruption policy and the vandalism affects your ability to run your business or your nonprofit, we work with accountants and people knowledgeable with your type of business to claim lost revenue. We also claim all business expenses including fixed costs, payroll, IT, and marketing expenses that must be paid until your business can resume.
- Vehicle damage. If you have a comprehensive policy, it should pay for the damage to any vehicles that were damaged to the vandalism.
We contest efforts by the insurance company to deny your claim based on invalid exclusions. When the insurance company negotiates in bad faith, we hold them accountable.
Strategies for helping deter vandalism
While there is no foolproof system, the following security measure can help persuade vandals they should stay away from your home:
- Installing visible security camera systems
- Installing security alarm systems to alert owners when there is an intruder
- Locking all your doors and windows and ensuring that duplicate keys are at a different location
When vandalism does occur, you should notify the police immediately and then your insurance company.
Talk with a respected insurance claims attorney about losses from vandalism
Vandalism is more than just a financial loss. It is an invasion of your privacy. At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, we help you get justice by working aggressively to get the insurance proceeds that you deserve because you paid your premiums. We help you move forward by obtaining a just settlement or verdict for the property that can be fixed and paying for the value of the items that are beyond repair. For help with vandalism claims, please – call 731.664.1340 or use our contact form to schedule a time to speak with our lawyers. Our attorneys are licensed in Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri.