On September 19, 1985, more than 5,000 people in and around Mexico City lost their lives when the 8.0 magnitude Michoacán earthquake collapsed 412 buildings and seriously damaged several thousand more. Many of the buildings that collapsed were older structures built of unreinforced masonry. But newer multi-story buildings built of reinforced concrete actually fared the worst.
Monday, November 20, 2017
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Claims Stemming from Government Regulated Flooding After Hurricane Harvey
In August, Hurricane Harvey directly hit the city of Houston, leaving substantial wind and flood damage in its wake. Many home and business owners who avoided flood damage breathed a sigh of relief on August 28 when the immediate threat of flooding seemed to have passed. But for those Houstonians along the Buffalo Bayou, the worst of the damage was yet to come. In order to avoid flooding downtown Houston, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ordered “controlled releases” of both the Addicks and Barker Dams, thereby alternatively flooding thousands of homes and businesses that would have otherwise been spared. Now the owners of those homes and businesses are looking for a way to recoup their damages.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Big Pharma BI, CBI, and Service Interruption Claims Percolating in Puerto Rico
As recovery and rebuilding efforts drag on in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria’s impact on Big Pharma is radiating across the U.S., and around the globe as the dozens of drugs manufactured in Puerto Rico become scarce. Maria brought drug manufacturing to a screeching halt in Puerto Rico, where about 10 percent of all drugs prescribed in the U.S. are made. The FDA is focused on about 40 drugs it expects to be in short supply, including 13 that are made only in Puerto Rico.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Is Event Cancellation Coverage Up In Smoke?
As of the date of the publication of this blog entry, the wildfires that have been ravaging Northern California since October 8, 2017 have been somewhat contained. However, the slightest change in weather conditions could frustrate the efforts of firefighters and first responders and cause even more devastation to the region. The investigation into the cause(s) of the fires is still ongoing. Early reports indicated that faulty equipment of California utility PG&E may have ignited the fire, but at least one person has since been arrested on suspicions of arson.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Rain, Rain, Go Away, Don’t Flood Again in Texas Any Day
In 2001, Houston, Texas was in the path of the slow-moving, rain-heavy Tropical Storm Allison. That storm caused extensive flooding in downtown Houston and surrounding areas, ultimately dropping over 40 inches of rain in Southeast, Texas. And with that rain, and rain-caused flooding, people made insurance claims. Texas courts were therefore given the opportunity to analyze how water and flood in insurance policies should be interpreted under Texas law.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Insurance Bad Faith Under Puerto Rico Law
Last month, as Hurricane Maria bore down on Puerto Rico, we reposted our Puerto Rico claims checklist and an analysis of causation under Puerto Rico law. In Maria’s devastating aftermath, many Puerto Ricans are still focused on necessities, and filing an insurance claim for damage to their home or business is not top of mind. But as recovery efforts gain momentum, the claims will begin to come in. Now is the time to review our posts from last month and consider how Puerto Rico law may apply to handling Maria insurance claims.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Civil Authority Coverage in the Wake of Harvey and Irma
As the category 4 Hurricane Harvey approached the Texas Gulf Coast, many areas evacuated in preparation for the storm. And in the wake of the hurricane and the widespread flooding that followed, additional evacuations and curfews followed.
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