Just as it seemed that Hurricane Irma was going to lose strength and turn into a tropical depression, the outer reaches of its storm front brought heavy rainfall over Charleston, South Carolina and much of the surrounding region on Monday. The downpour was so significant and rapid, it caused flooding and flash flooding across the lowcountry, triggering evacuations, road closures, power outages, and other difficulties for residents. Much of the region is still struggling to return to what feels like normalcy.
If you live within Charleston or any other area affected by flooding, please exercise caution and keep an ear out for important updates from authorities. Never do anything that jeopardizes your health or the wellbeing of others.
For additional information about the situation, you can visit these websites:
- http://www.charleston-sc.gov/, the official Charleston government website, provides general information about conditions in the city, including when trash collection schedules will resume.
- https://www.sceg.com/outages-emergencies/power-outages/outage-map, the website of South Carolina Energy & Gas, displays current power outages.
- https://www.scdot.org/travel/travel-emergencyresponse.aspx, the website of the state’s Department of Transportation, reports on emergency situations, road closures, and evacuation routes.
Flood, Wind & Storm Damage Claims in Charleston
If the flooding has receded from your neighborhood and the situation has been deemed safe, you should start to think about assessing the damage to your property, including your homes, boats, automobiles, storefronts, and anything else of value. Since Hurricane Irma did not take a direct hit on Charleston, the damage to your property might not constitute a hurricane damage claim. Instead, you may need to consider filing a flood, wind, or storm damage claim with your insurance provider.
As with any insurance claim filing following a natural disaster, thoroughness is key. Check all the lowest points of your property for flood damage, as well as the condition of walls and foundations that may have soaked up water. Look for missing tiles on your roof from wind damage, which could have then allowed rain to leak into the structure. You should also review your insurance policy to see what sort of damages are covered by the plan you have purchased.
When you are working on filing your claim, if you run into any trouble with your insurance company, know that Lawton Law Firm and our Mt. Pleasant attorney are here to help. We have 35+ collective years of legal experience to put to use when assisting clients in flood, storm, wind, and hurricane damage claims that have been wrongfully denied, delayed, or undervalued by an insurance company. Whenever you need us by your side, contact our firm and request a free consultation to begin.