In a verdict reached late yesterday, Lynwood and Villa del Sol apartment complexes, owned by Harvey Property Management Company, were awarded the full, court-ordered appraised value of the hail damage, totaling $3,229,766.18. Travelers had insisted in part that the hail damage was part of normal wear and tear of the building.
“These buildings got beat up in 2010, but unfortunately, that was only the start of the fight,” said winning lead plaintiff’s attorney Phillip Sanov of the Merlin Law Group. “We took this to trial not just for these two buildings, but to send a message to every other victim of this and other storm denials – when your insured property is damaged, you never have to take no as an answer.”
The freak hail storm caused more than $2.7 billion in property damage (cite).
“This was a freak hail storm, but for many Arizonans, the real shock was financial,” said Chip Merlin, founder of the Merlin Law Group and counsel for the Plaintiffs. “This victory will right a couple of wrongs, but it’s a good reminder for individuals and businesses to review their policies, and also not be afraid to reach out for help before or after a storm. The good guys can beat the insurance giants.”
AJR Public Adjusters 