Sinkholes occur in Florida more frequently than any other U.S. state. For more than 20 years, Corless Barfield Trial Group has assisted families, community associations managers, public adjusters, and other law firms and owners to resolve the complex legal and engineering issues arising from sinkhole claims and the litigation process. Having recovered more than $250 […]
Category: Sinkholes
Sinkhole Season: Know Your Rights
Last week, the ground cracked open in front of a South Florida gated community. Firefighters arrived at Cooper City’s Biltmore Grove just after 1:30 p.m. AT&T subcontractors had apparently busted a water main during an excavation outside the neighborhood, and the rupture caused water to flow from the roadway and created a sinkhole measuring about […]
From TampaBay.com: Editorial: Why should Citizens policyholders need their state lawmaker to get claims resolved?
Citizens Property Insurance wisely ended its long-running fight with a Palm Harbor condominium association with a good resolution that finally will allow the homeowners to make needed sinkhole repairs. But the settlement only came about because an in… Read More […]
Citizens Hit with $12.7 Million Verdict, and Its President Can’t Handle the Sunshine
March 19, 2018 Re: Response to Barry Gilway’s March 16, 2018 Letter to the Editor Barry Gilway, president/CEO and executive director, of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. (“Citizens”), recently responded to an article published in the Tampa Bay Times concerning the trial between Cloverplace Condominiums Association (“Cloverplace”) and Citizens in which a jury – after […]
Corless Barfield Trial Group Wins $12.7 Million Verdict Against Citizens Property Insurance
Built in the 1980s, Cloverplace is a duplex community just off U.S. 19 in Pinellas County. The 120 buildings (240 units) are home to about 500 people, many of them retirees and young families. In 2007, residents of the Cloverplace Condos began to notice unmistakable signs of sinkhole activity. Walls were cracking, stucco was peeling […]
Sinkholes Swallow Real Estate in Florida
SINKHOLES IN THE NEWS How do sinkholes form? Why does Florida get so many of them? The questions posed here are timely, for sure. Several sinkholes opened up recently in The Villages, threatening several homes, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said. Four homes were evaluated. Officials said the largest of the three holes is 35 […]
Real Estate, Florida Style: The Who, What, When, Where & Why of Insurance Disputes
WHO: Are you involved in a dispute with your insurance company? Have you filed a valid claim, only to have the insurer unnecessarily delay payment, undervalue your claim or deny your claim outright? Corless Barfield Trial Group attorneys are highly experienced in navigating the multifaceted area of insurance claim disputes and litigation involving auto insurance, […]
Real Deal: CBTG Fights Insurance Industry Over Property Damage Claims
Real estate is susceptible to all kinds of harmful damage. Sinkholes, wind, floods, plumbing leaks, mold, burglary, arson, vandalism, accidents, negligence, and natural disasters can all cause significant destruction to your property. Unfortunately, insurance companies commonly delay and deny claims, with property owners failing to receive the proper amount of compensation they deserve. Over the […]
Why Your Property Management Business Needs a Lawyer
Businesses, property managers, homeowners associations, and real estate developers purchase property insurance to protect their land, buildings, inventory, and other property. Without insurance, damage due to theft, plumbing leaks, fire loss, sinkholes, busted pipes or weather-related events could be financially devastating. However, delayed, underpaid, or denied claims for coverage can be equally calamitous. The experienced […]