Jackson Earthquake Insurance Lawyers
Experience representation when earthquakes rumble through homes and businesses, destroying everything in their path
Over $250 million recovered for policyholders
While earthquakes are rare, just one earthquake can damage entire communities. Our Jackson earthquake damage lawyers work to hold insurance companies accountable when they improperly deny your claim, purposely delay your claim, or make settlement offers that don’t match your coverage benefits. We work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and any other emergency agencies that may provide additional financial assistance and logistical support after an earthquake. Step by step, we work to verify all your damages and the timelines for repairs, rebuilding, or relocating. Call us now to receive your full share of insurance proceeds due to earthquake damage.
How can we help?
- What is an earthquake?
- How often do earthquakes occur in Mississippi?
- What should I do if an earthquake happens in Jackson, MS?
- How much is my earthquake damage claim worth in Mississippi?
- How do you fight for insured earthquake victims in Jackson?
- Do you have a Jackson earthquake insurance lawyer near me?
What is an earthquake?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines an earthquake as occurring “when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another.” The place where the slip occurs is known as the fault line. “The location below the earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicenter.”
Scientists use seismographs to measure the size and severity of earthquakes. The USGS measures earthquakes in magnitudes.
Earthquakes are not predictable. That’s one of many reasons why property owners should consider buying earthquake insurance.
How often do earthquakes occur in Mississippi?
Earthquake Track reports on earthquakes nationwide, including in Mississippi. The most recent earthquake in Mississippi occurred on December 24, 2022, in Booneville, Mississippi, measuring a 2.5 magnitude.
According to EarthquakeList, an earthquake occurred within 150 miles of Tupelo, Mississippi, on August 1, 2025. The magnitude was 3.0. The epicenter was 32 miles east-southeast of Paragould, Arkansas.
The USGS states that the primary cause of earthquake damage to man-made buildings is ground shaking. The factors that affect the amount of ground shaking include “the earthquake's magnitude, the site's proximity to the fault, the local geology, and the soil type.”
What should I do if an earthquake happens in Jackson, MS?
Our Jackson, Mississippi, earthquake insurance claim lawyers recommend that residents take the following steps after an earthquake:
- Understand that more earthquakes (called aftershocks) may occur. Aftershocks can cause just as much damage as the original earthquake.
- Call McWherter Scott & Bobbitt to review your legal and practical options.
- Comply with the advice of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
- Speak with local utility companies. You’ll likely need to take steps to address any gas leaks or gas smells. You’ll also need to consider what actions to take to prevent a power surge if the electric power goes off.
- Board up your property so the interior is safe from theft and further damage.
At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, we also recommend that you keep receipts of all your emergency expenses, such as the cost to move and live in another location. We can help you obtain temporary payments for these emergency expenses.
How much is my earthquake damage claim worth in Mississippi?
Our Jackson earthquake insurance attorneys work with a network of professional builders, plumbers, electricians, and others to ensure that there is a quality review of all the damage to your home, commercial building, church, or any other building. These experts focus on the visible damages and the hidden damages, foundation and structural issues, the types of materials you need, and all other repair and rebuild issues.
We also review whether you should repair what’s damaged, rebuild from scratch, or move to a new location. At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, our lawyers also work with appraisers to determine the value of your personal property and with financial experts to determine your financial damages.
Our lawyers demand the following insurance policy damages:
- Temporary damages. We help you obtain advances to pay for the cost of moving, living in another location, and working in another location.
- Building/real property damage. Our lawyers understand the unique challenges in assessing the damage to homes, apartments, condominiums, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, and all other building structures. These challenges include meeting building code requirements, obtaining the necessary permits, and other challenges.
- Attached structures. Our review of the damage to your home or business includes the damage earthquakes cause to garages, offices, sheds, and other attached structures.
- Non-attached structures. We demand that your earthquake insurance carriers pay for any unattached sheds, pump houses, storage facilities, or other non-attached structures.
- Business income. If you run a business, we work with experts in your type of business to assess your financial damages when you need to move or rebuild your business. These damages include overhead expenses on your existing property, payroll expenses, insurance bills, marketing costs, customer notifications, your lost profits, and other economic damages.
- Personal property. Our lawyers work with experts who can assess the cost to fix or purchase your furniture, computer hardware, cars, jewelry, and other personal possessions.
What earthquake damages are not covered?
Generally, you must purchase a separate earthquake rider or endorsement to have earthquake coverage. Earthquake insurance typically does not pay for the following:
- Fences
- Landscaping
- Computer data – you should have online and offline backups
- Patio coverings
- Irrigation systems, sprinklers, and wells
- Pets
- Vehicles
- Boats and other types of water vehicles
- Swimming pools
- Satellite dishes and antennas
How do you fight for insured earthquake victims in Jackson?
Our Jackson insurance dispute lawyers begin by reviewing the terms of your insurance contract. We can review what damages are covered and what damages are not covered. Be sure to keep your policy in a place that will be safe from an earthquake (such as in the computer cloud). At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, we also advocate for policyholders in the following ways:
- Initial compliance. We explain when and how you must notify your insurance carrier that you have an earthquake damage claim. Generally, your carrier has the right to conduct its own inspection of the damage.
- Estimates of the damage. Property owners, when it is safe to do so, should take photos/videos of the structural damage and damage to their personal and commercial property and inventory. Our team will work with investigators (whom we can hire), the federal and Mississippi emergency officials, and local building code officials. We can also work with the following experts, as necessary – engineers, architects, structural experts, building contractors, plumbers, electricians, financial appraisers, accountants, and other experts.
- Repairs, rebuilds, or relocations. After our review of the damages with the different experts; we can discuss with you what contractors can fix, when you need to rebuild, and when moving to another location may be necessary.
- We can help you obtain partial payments for relocating and other emergency expenses.
- Timeline for improvements. Our team can review with the various experts how much time they need to make repairs or rebuild. We also discuss how much time you’ll need to relocate if moving is necessary.
- The insurance company’s response. Our Jackson, Mississippi earthquake insurance dispute lawyers anticipate and defend against the arguments insurance companies and defense lawyers make to try to defeat or reduce your claim.
- Business income advice. If you have business interruption coverage, we work to determine all your expenses to relocate, including working to keep as many of your customers/clients as possible, and to determine your financial losses due to the earthquake.
We pay attention to all the small details that can add up to large recoveries.
Do you have a Jackson earthquake insurance lawyer near me?
Yes. Our office is located at 4780 I-55 N, Suite 100, in Jackson, Mississippi. McWherter Scott & Bobbitt also discuss insurance claims by phone and through video consultation. We can make arrangements, when necessary, to view the earthquake in person.
We understand how anxious you are. We’ve helped many home and business owners obtain the temporary advance they need to survive and the insurance proceeds they need to start over.
Contact Jackson earthquake insurance lawyers now for immediate help
Earthquakes are scary. Within minutes, they can damage most or all of what you own. At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, our lawyers work with home, building, personal property, and other professionals to assess the earthquake damage, the cost to temporarily relocate, the cost to rebuild, and all other related damages, including hidden structural damages. Please call us or complete our contact form today to schedule a consultation.
Our Jackson insurance dispute lawyers also represent policyholders throughout Mississippi and in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Arkansas.