2 years later, deadline looms for many Hidalgo County hailstorm lawsuits
By Dave Hendricks, The Monitor, McAllen, Texas | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Today marks the two-year anniversary of the devastating
Following the twin hailstorms, insurance payouts to
Not all claims were resolved successfully. Roughly 2,000 lawsuits remain pending in
"And if they don't get treated right by their insurance company, then the courthouse doors are going to close," Moore said, adding that many lawsuits stem from under-paid or rejected insurance claims.
Damage varied widely during the two storms, Moore said, and some homeowners may not have realized they actually suffered significant roof damage until months later.
"Who gets on their roof and looks for hail damage?" Moore said, recommending that homeowners concerned about hail-related problems pay a professional roofing company for an inspection. "A regular person doesn't know how to look for that kind of stuff. And when was the last time you got on the roof of your house? Nobody does that."
Additionally, homeowners who purchased actual-cash-value insurance often didn't receive enough money to cover new roofs, said
To help them make ends meet, McAllen Valley Roofing recently provided at-cost repairs. McSteen said deals with manufacturers allowed the company to reduce material costs 20 to 25 percent, depending on the job.
When
"Wind-driven hail is the worst case scenario," Dewey said, describing the damaged caused by ice chunks traveling at up to 70 mph.
Both storms underscored the importance of homeowner's insurance.
"We say it's the gift that keeps on giving, because it's not a matter of 'Will there be any hailstorms this year?'" said
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