Hurricane Harvey came ashore between Port Aransas and Port O’Connor, Texas on August 25, 2017. Port Aransas was devastated by hurricane force winds, storm surges, and relentless rainfall. As a result of Harvey’s arrival, property owners in Port Aransas are still clearing debris and struggling to rebuild. According to the local chamber of commerce, 90% of all buildings in Port Aransas suffered damage from the storm, making restoration and rebuilding complicated and time consuming.
In the months after Hurricane Harvey, Port Aransas has been busy rebuilding, but progress has been incredibly slow. Many of the condos and high-rises that dotted the seashore remain boarded up, and only a fraction of hotels have reopened for business. For a town that relies on tourism, Harvey’s economic impact went far beyond the physical property damage caused by the storm – the financial losses remain ongoing because of income lost during the rebuilding process. Only about 25% of all hotel and motel rooms available in Port Aransas are open for business. For a city that sees approximately five million tourists a year, the lost revenue from Harvey is astronomical. It is projected the city will need three to five years for a complete recovery.
Harvey’s destruction in Port Aransas was absolute. Many buildings, including the police department and courthouse have been considered total losses. This means they will need to be completely torn down and rebuilt. This is time consuming and extremely costly. Harvey caused such complete damage in part because of its hurricane force winds. The National Weather Service clocked winds in Port Aransas at 132 miles per hour with sustained winds up to 110 miles per hour.
These winds tore open many roofs and other structures, allowing rainfall to drench the interiors. For many business owners, the rainfall also destroyed the interior walls, furniture, fixtures, and other interior property items.
Even though the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey seems straightforward, many property owners are fighting with insurance companies over their Hurricane Harvey claims. Although the damage is obvious to property owners, insurance companies are using bad faith tactics to ignore obvious damage and wrongfully deny valid insurance claims. They are doing this to avoid expensive payouts, which is both illegal and all too common. Policyholders that regularly pay their premiums deserve full coverage under their policies. For many Port Aransas property owners, the only way to get the compensation they are entitled to is to work with an experienced insurance lawyer.
Get Help With Your Port Aransas Hurricane Harvey Claim
At Raizner Slania LLP, our attorneys are leaders in insurance litigation. We’ve helped property owners from around the country recover funds owed under their policies and more, and we are currently fighting in court for Hurricane Harvey victims all across Texas. If you need help with your Port Aransas Hurricane Harvey claim, call us today to schedule a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your case.