Practice Areas
- Auto, Truck & Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Nursing Home Neglect / Abuse
- Product Liability
- Insurance Disputes
- Hurricane Insurance Claim
- Sinkhole Claims
- Commercial Litigation
- Defective Medical Devices
- Asbestos/Mesothelioma
Blog 
Hurricane Insurance Claim
- Late season hurricanes are still a threat
- Tropical Storm Fay – Are You Covered?
- Experts predict more hurricanes – Better check your coverage
- Hurricane Season Is Good Time to Check Insurance Coverage
- Hurricane Season is Here!
Claims Involving Children
9 Must Read Tips for Safeguarding the Outside of Your Home
When it comes to hurricane prevention, a little bit of preparation goes a long way. Each year, millions of dollars of damage occurs to Florida homes as a result of hurricanes. Don't let your wallet be the one that gets hit this year.
Buy a Hurricane Shield. Hurricane shields are the modern way to keep your home safe from rain and flying debris. Hurricane shields are large enough to protect patios and porches.
Purchase Window Guards. If you have the money to invest in window guards, they can be an incredible upgrade from plywood. Window guards perform the dual task of keeping your windows safe from flying debris and keeping the inside of your home safe from rain. Unlike plywood, when you attach a window guard flush against your house, no water leaks in and causes damage.
Plywood. If you can't afford a hurricane shield or window guard, a third option is to use plywood to secure your home. Remember to select sheets that are at least 5/8 of an inch thick and overlap the opening in the window or door by at least 4-6 inches.
Clean Up Your Yard. Most of the damage caused in a hurricane is caused by flying debri - not by wind and rain. While you can never remove all risk of harm, you can reduce your risk by picking up anything that could be blown away out of your yard. This includes not only the children's toys and fallen limbs, but also any decorative rocks or footstones that could become deadly projectiles.
Roof Straps and Harnesses. Home improvement guru Bob Vila likens a hurricane harness to a "seatbelt for your home." During a hurricane, the high-speed winds blowing around and above your house can create vacuum-like pressure. As a result, many homes have the roofs ripped straight off. The hurricane harness works by securing the roof to the ground. A strap is placed over the roof and fastened to an anchor in the ground or to the foundation of the house itself. This prevents the wind from taking your roof with it.
Clear Areas Near Power Lines. Hurricanes can knock over power lines, street lamps, and telephone poles. If possible, move whatever you can't bring inside away from those items. This includes items like cars, trailers, or doghouses.
Protect Your Garage Door. Your garage door is another part of your house that is susceptible to being taken out by the vacuum-like wind pressure. The National Weather Service recommends reinforcing your garage door with horizontal support bars to help it withstand winds of up to 120 mph.
Check Your Roof. Even if you've purchased the roof strap, you should go and check your attic for "shiners." In homebuilding parlance, a shiner is an exposed nail along the wood structure of the roof. If you see shiners sticking out, like this, your roof may be improperly attached. In a properly attached roof, the nails should be hidden inside the wood. If you see the nails, you should reinforce your roof.
Lilly, O'Toole & Brown, LLP
Lakeland Office: (863) 683-1111
Bartow Office: (863) 533-5525M
Sebring Office: (863) 471-0003
Lake Wales Office: (863) 676-1991
Haines City Office: (863) 422-1282
Wauchula Office: (863) 767-1111
Also providing legal assistance to clients from:
Wauchula, Lake Placid, Avon Park, Plant City, Brandon, and Valrico, Florida.
