The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has been a nightmare for thousands of New Yorkers and New Jerseyans. Many lost their homes and belongings and now find themselves embattled with their insurance companies that are dealing with them in bad faith. Others are still waiting to receive the federal monies that have not yet been given out.
Sadly, the situation recently got even worse for some victims after a Point Pleasant Beach,New Jersey motel housing displaced Hurricane Sandy victims caught fire and killed four people and injured many more.
Chaotic Scene of Flames, Smoke and Screaming
That’s how survivors of the March 21st fire at the Mariner’s Cove Motor Inn in Point Pleasant Beach New Jersey described the situation. According to The Guardian, the blaze erupted at approximately 5:30 a.m. while most people were sleeping. By the time someone called 911 and firefighters arrived on the scene, flames were shooting out the windows of the motel and people were jumping from the second story of the building to escape.
Firefighters climbed ladders to reach charred second-floor units and search through them for survivors. They also used an aerial ladder to maneuver a firefighter into position to peer into burned rooms. Four people were killed in the tragedy and another eight were injured – three of those critically.
Although investigators interviewed motel management and determined that about 40 people were staying there when the fire broke out, the motel’s office was destroyed and many records were lost. Unfortunately, a majority of those staying in the motel in its cheaper off-season were Hurricane Sandy victims such as Joe Frystock.
Mr. Frystock’s home in nearby Brick Township was severely damaged in Hurricane Sandy after taking on six feet of water. His recent stay at the motel was the latest in a long series of temporary homes for him over the past 16 months. Now he must find somewhere else to live as he has yet to be able to repair his home.
16 Months Is Too Long To Wait
Sixteen months is simply far too long to wait to receive the funds you were promised and desperately need. The federal and state governments continue to battle it out over why assistance is not getting to the right people as quickly as it should.
For anyone still waiting for their homeowners’ insurance company to act responsibly, the chances of that happening at this point are unlikely. Insurance companies have a duty to treat their policyholders in good faith and deal with them fairly. However, they often breach that duty by:
- Denying legitimate homeowners’ claims over technicalities – or for no reason whatsoever
- Unreasonably delaying claims so that homeowners simply give up
- Offering homeowners low settlements hoping they’ll simply take themto end the claims processing nightmare
The good news is that homeowners can fight back. Insurance companies know which law firms will take them to court and make them pay – not only for what is owed, but also for engaging in illegal bad faith practices.
If you’re one of those homeowners, contact an experienced New York insurance dispute lawyer today to analyze your situation, find out more about bad faith insurance practices and determine your legal options so that you can decide on what’s best for you and your family.