A Staten Island woman who not only lost her home during Superstorm Sandy, but also her husband and daughter, was the first person to be compensated under New York’s Hurricane Sandy Recovery Program. However, she’s unlikely to use the money to rebuild on the site after the tragic events of October 29, 2012.
“Now, Maybe, I’m Able To Move On A Little Bit.”
Those were the words of longtime Staten Island resident Patricia Dresch after receiving a check from Mayor Bloomberg as part of New York’s Hurricane Sandy Recovery Program. According to the New York Times, Dresch was the first person to be compensated under the program, which generally pays certain Hurricane Sandy victims the pre-market value of their homes. Although very appreciative of the gesture, Dresch says that she’s unlikely to return to her original home site.
She, her husband and two daughters lived in Tottenville, Staten Island for 30 years. Although they had evacuated during Hurricane Irene, they returned to find their house looted. They decided to weather Hurricane Sandy instead of leaving. She, her husband and youngest daughter (the eldest daughter was already grown and lived elsewhere) watched as waves crashed over Yetman Avenue and flooded the first floor of their home. Then, the roof buckled and the house collapsed. Both her husband and daughter died in the flood waters, and Dresch herself was found a block away.
She currently lives in the rectory of Our Lady Help of Christians, the church where she works as a teacher, and continues to attend bereavement groups. She said that she plans to use the money to purchase another home in Tottenville, but one on a higher elevation.
Belluck & Fox: We Have Your Best Interests At Heart
Although it is unknown whether Dresch received any proceeds from a homeowners’ insurance policy, she said that she can now move on with her life as best as she can thanks to the Hurricane Sandy Recovery Program.
For other homeowners in Staten Island and other parts of New York and New Jersey, insurance proceeds checks have still not come – even after nearly a year. If you’re one of those homeowners, and your insurance company has engaged in bad faith insurance practices such as disputing settlement amounts, improperly calculating deductibles, undervaluing claims, proposing unfair settlements and flat out denying claims, you need an experienced insurance dispute law firm that has your best interests at heart. That firm is Belluck & Fox.
Recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, New York Best Lawyers and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the New York insurance dispute lawyers at Belluck & Fox are dedicated to providing exceptional client service and securing maximum compensation for victims of Hurricane Sandy and their families. Call us today at 855-287-4508 and let us help you get your claim settled once and for all and determine whether you might be entitled to other compensation for bad faith insurance practices.