What type of lawyer do I need to help a tenant who has receivedan inflated cost to repair after a fire?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What type of lawyer do I need to help a tenant who has receivedan inflated cost to repair after a fire?
My mother had an accidental kitchen fire in her townhome and she did not have renter’s insurance (which was not required by the landlord). She is responsible for the damage donebut the amount that the insurance company is charging her ($16,000 for a 6×8 kitchen with all standard builder grade product purchased through wholesaler) is outrageously inflated. What type of lawyer do I need to consult to help in this matter? Would I see an insurance lawyer or a landlord/tenant? Other?
Asked on February 24, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Probably the best attorney to help your mother would be landlord-tenant attorney, since this matter grows out of a tenant's responsibility to repair damage to her rental premises. Insurance attorneys primarily deal with contractual disputes with insurers (such as when an insurer will not honor its obligations to its insured).
As she is looking for an attorney, your mother may wish to bring in some contractors to provide her with quotes or proposals for the repairs--if she is disputing the charge, she will need some evidence for the proposition that the amount the insurer seeks from her is too large.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.