Our Results by County

A major national insurer failed to pay any policy benefits to a single mom even after promising to cover storm related damage to her home. After we filed suit, we recovered $475,00 which was well over the policy limits.

A major national insurance carrier initially denied claim for hail damage to homeowner's wood shake roof, paying zero on his claim. After we filed suit, we won an appraisal award of over $106,000 which the insurer paid, after which the insurer then paid another $200,000 to cover statutory penalties, attorney fees, and expenses.

A major national insurer denied a claim for water damaged contents under a personal property rental policy. Our client did not own the home. The insurer initially denied her claim, paying zero. After we filed suit, we recovered $75,000 which was 75% of her contents policy limits.

We represented a church and set aside an unfair appraisal award, successfully opposed the insurer’s petition for mandamus, and ultimately obtained a settlement in excess of $199,000.00.

A warehouse owner hired Pennebaker Law after his insurance company paid him only $1,231.31 on his wind and hail claim. In typical fashion, the insurance company hired an insurance-oriented, biased engineer to substantiate the low ball payment on the claim. After we filed suit against our client's insurance company and independent adjusting firm, we were able to settle on behalf of our client for $237,500. An imminent trial setting may have been the leverage we needed to obtain favorable settlement for our client.

After the 2012 wind and hail storms in Hidalgo County, Pennebaker Law represented a group of homeowners whom were all insured by the same national insurance company. The cases were referred to us by several attorneys practicing in the Rio Grande Valley. Pennebaker Law filed separate lawsuits for each case, alleging the insurer improperly delayed, underpaid and, in some cases, denied valid insurance claims. Each lawsuit included allegations of bad faith insurance practices and violations of the Texas Insurance Code. Pennebaker Law efficiently resolved this group of cases during a two-day mediation session. As a matter of practice, our firm routinely covers all up-front expenses associated with lawsuits we file. However, we resolved this group of cases without incurring the usual costs associated with depositions and/or trial, allowing our clients to recover more money. Although each case ultimately settled for confidential amounts, total recovery for the case-group was $2,950,000.

The homeowner obtained a repair estimate from a local contractor in the amount of $53,000. The insurance company acknowledged extensive damage, but hid behind a technicality/exclusion in the insurance policy. Prior to hiring our firm, the insurance company would only pay $1,000, and denied the remainder of the homeowner's claim on the basis that there were no wind-created openings in the structure through which rain entered to cause damage to the interior. The insurer said the damage was caused by wind-driven rain, and not covered by the homeowner's insurance policy. After filing a lawsuit in Hidalgo County, and after cross-examining the insurance adjuster and agent, revealing questionable claims handling practices, the insurance company ultimately paid the homeowner $150,000 to resolve the claim.

A Hidalgo County Homeowner hired Pennebaker Law after his homeowner’s insurer refused to properly pay his wind and hail claim. The homeowner had an expensive, fiberglass-composite-shingle roof. Allstate only wanted to pay the cost to patch this roof rather than replace it. Even after we filed suit, Allstate’s corporate adjuster refused to provide a reasonable offer. Our client therefore exercised his right to demand appraisal under the terms of the policy. We petitioned the court to appoint an independent umpire. The appraisal was a success for our client. The appraisal panel awarded $95,742.45, which included replacement of the entire roof, as well as related interior damages.

A Mcallen doctor made a claim with his insurer after his clay-tile roof was damaged by a significant hail storm. The large insurance company sent a biased adjuster and engineering firm. They conducted an outcome-oriented investigation. They denied his claim after concluding that the damage to the clay tiles was caused by anything and everything other than the storm (i.e., foot traffic, thermal expansion, installation defects, wear and tear, etc.). All the factors cited by the insurance company as having caused the damage were, of course, excluded by the policy. After the doctor hired Pennebaker Law, the insurer agreed to pay $90,000 on his claim. Now the insured has sufficient funds to replace his tile roof.

The small business owner of a car wash hired Pennebaker Law after his large national insurer paid only $20,364.00 on his hail damage claim. After filing suit, we promptly settled his case for an additional $100,000.

A small business owner in Mcallen hired Pennebaker Law after becoming frustrated with State Farm over a wind and hail claim. State Farm had issued a low-ball payment totaling $22,855; the building’s policy limits totaled $301,000. After filing suit on behalf of Border Plaza, we attempted to negotiate informally, but State Farm offered only an additional $45,000, which our client declined. We therefore exercised our right to have the damage amount determined by appraisal. Each side appointed a competent, independent appraiser, but the appraisers couldn’t agree on the loss amount. We therefore petitioned the court to appoint a neutral umpire. The umpire and our appraiser agreed, rendering a favorable appraisal award of $142,867.89 and forcing State Farm to pay. The appraisal award included only repair costs. After State Farm paid the appraisal award, the extra-contractual case settled for a confidential settlement.

An elderly couple hired Pennebaker Law after their insurer refused to pay a claim for hail and wind damage. Their first language was Spanish. The insurance company hired a biased engineering firm that conducted an outcome-oriented investigation. Unsurprisingly, the biased engineer determined that the home's clay-tile roof didn't sustain any storm damage. Equally predictable, the insurance company used the engineering report as a pretextual basis to deny the entire claim. Although the homeowners wanted the claim payed, they didn't want an extended trial-by-jury. Therefore, Pennebaker Law demanded appraisal per the terms of the insurance policy, and the appraisal panel returned a favorable award of $72,692.65. We also filed suit because the insurer had improperly denied the claim, forcing the policyholders to retain counsel. The lawsuit was settled for a confidential sum above and beyond the appraisal award.

An Hidalgo County Restauranteur turned to our firm after his insurer underpaid the hail claim. Prior to hiring our firm, the insurer paid only $92,000. We demanded appraisal under the policy. Although the insurer initially refused to cooperate with Appraisal, we forced the issue and obtained an Appraisal Award of $349,699.00. Ultimately, the total recovery was $441,000.00.

A very well-known national insurer paid an elderly, disabled insured only $13,000 for severe hail damage to her retirement home in McAllen, Texas. Also, the insurance company improperly terminated her additional living expenses before she was able to make the necessary repairs. After the policyholder hired our firm, we filed a lawsuit and recovered $230,000 on behalf of the client. Total recovery approximately 20 times the insurance company’s original payment on the claim.

The homeowner obtained a repair estimate from a local contractor in the amount of $53,000. The insurance company acknowledged extensive damage, but hid behind a technicality/exclusion in the insurance policy. Prior to hiring our firm, the insurance company would only pay $1,000, and denied the remainder of the homeowner’s claim on the basis that there were no wind-created openings in the structure through which rain entered to cause damage to the interior. The insurer said the damage was caused by wind-driven rain, and not covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy. After filing a lawsuit in Hidalgo County, and after cross-examining the insurance adjuster and agent, revealing questionable claims handling practices, the insurance company ultimately paid the homeowner $150,000 to resolve the claim.