Tupelo Insurance Lawyers for Hail-Related Damage
Experienced representation when hailstorms damage homes and businesses in Mississippi
Hail isn’t confined to cold-weather climates and can occur even when temperatures are above freezing. It can damage roofs and other building components, allow water to saturate parts of a building, cause warm air to escape, and otherwise affect many types of outdoor property.
McWherter Scott & Bobbitt has represented insurance policyholders since 2013. Our Tupelo insurance lawyers anticipate arguments home or commercial property insurance carriers may raise to deny or limit hail-related claims. We help policyholders pursue available policy benefits, including temporary living or operational expense coverage and compensation for covered losses, when provided under the policy’s terms, so damaged buildings and personal property can be repaired or restored. Contact us today to discuss your insurance claim.
Significant hail damage case results
$290,000+. Our insurance lawyers obtained this amount for hail and wind damage on behalf of a condominium association.
$287,500. We obtained this supplemental recovery for a condominium owners’ association that suffered hail damage.
$185,000+. We helped a church recover more than $185,000 for hail damage to the church’s roof.
While past results cannot guarantee future outcomes, they reflect the firm’s experience handling hail damage insurance disputes.
How can we help?
How hail forms in warm-weather storms
The outside temperature may be above freezing, yet hail can still occur. The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory states that hail is composed of “solid ice that forms inside thunderstorm updrafts.”
Hailstones form when raindrops are carried upward by thunderstorm updrafts into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere and freeze. Hail falls when the thunderstorm’s updraft can no longer support the weight of the hailstone.
What damage can hail cause to homes and buildings in Tupelo?
The most significant hail damage is often to the roof of a home or commercial building. Hail can damage shingles and metal roofing systems and affect a roof’s ability to prevent leaks, even when leaks do not appear immediately. Hail can also damage gutters, windows, chimneys, air conditioning units, landscaping, and other parts of residential or commercial property.
Wind-driven hail can cause additional damage, including tearing siding, breaking windows, blowing debris into buildings, breaking side windows on vehicles, and causing serious injury or death to people and animals.
The NOAA commonly describes hail sizes using the following comparisons:
- Pea = ¼ inch diameter
- Mothball = ½ inch diameter
- Penny = ¾ inch diameter
- Nickel = ⅞ inch
- Quarter = 1 inch — hail measuring one inch or larger is commonly classified as severe
- Ping-Pong Ball = 1½ inches
- Golf Ball = 1¾ inches
- Tennis Ball = 2½ inches
- Baseball = 2¾ inches
- Teacup = 3 inches
- Softball = 4 inches
- Grapefruit = 4½ inches
What types of hail insurance disputes do your lawyers handle?
At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, our lawyers assist policyholders at every stage of a hail damage insurance claim, including disputes involving:
Are you covered?We review insurance policies, typically homeowners or commercial property policies, to evaluate whether hail damage is covered and how exclusions, deductibles, and coverage limitations may apply. Coverage determinations depend on the specific policy language and the facts of the loss.
What is the value of your claim?Hail claims often involve disputes over repair scope, materials, and valuation. Our Tupelo, Mississippi hail damage lawyers work with appraisers, adjusters, and other qualified professionals to assess repair requirements, material specifications, timelines, and damage to contents or landscaping, as relevant to the insurance claim.
Business interruption costs.If you have business interruption or extra expense coverage, we work to evaluate covered income losses and qualifying additional expenses under the policy.
How do you fight for policyholders when hail causes damage in Mississippi?
At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, we focus on insurance coverage analysis and claim dispute resolution. Our representation includes:
- Reviewing insurance policies and claim files to identify coverage obligations and adjustment issues
- Developing the claim record through documentation, inspections, and expert input appropriate to the dispute
- Addressing common insurer defenses, including wear-and-tear arguments or repair-only positions, based on policy language and evidence
- Negotiating claim resolution when appropriate
- Pursuing appraisal, arbitration, or litigation when disputes cannot be resolved informally
In appropriate cases, we also evaluate whether an insurer’s handling of a hail claim may raise concerns under applicable claim-handling or good-faith standards.
Do you have a Tupelo, Mississippi hail insurance lawyer near me?
Yes. We meet clients at our Tupelo office located at 600 W. Main St., Suite 301, Tupelo, MS 38801. We also speak with clients by phone and through online video platforms.
Speak with our Tupelo hail insurance dispute lawyers today
At McWherter Scott & Bobbitt, we help policyholders understand their insurance coverage and address disputes that arise after hail damage. If you are facing a hail-related insurance dispute, we can help you evaluate the insurer’s position and pursue benefits available under your policy. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.