Just after 10 o’clock on the night of Wednesday, June 18th, an EF-1 tornado with peak winds near 95 mph tore through Houma neighborhoods — and by 4 in the morning three more twisters had touched down across Terrebonne Parish. Families woke to collapsed exterior walls on Crozier Drive, shattered storefronts at Lynn Park Shopping Center, trucks thrown thirty feet, and streets so choked with debris and standing water that first responders couldn’t get through. Governor Jeff Landry had already declared a State of Emergency for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, and the National Hurricane Center had confirmed Arthur as a named tropical system before it unloaded on our bayou communities. I’ve practiced in Houma since 1977, and I know from experience that what comes next is just as hard as the storm itself: dealing with your insurance company.
When the National Weather Service finished their damage surveys, they had confirmed four tornadoes in the Houma area — three rated EF-1 and one EF-0 — with peak winds between 85 and 95 mph. Bayou Cane and McCord neighborhoods had trees and power lines down across roadways. Businesses at Lynn Park Shopping Center lost nearly every window and had HVAC equipment ripped from their rooftops. Floodwaters pushed into homes that had never flooded before, and streets in the heart of Houma were impassable for hours. The FEMA disaster assistance program exists for events like this — but getting what you’re owed from your insurance company is a separate fight, and it’s one you shouldn’t have to fight alone.
One of the most common questions I hear after a storm like Arthur is: “Does my policy even cover this?” A standard homeowner’s or commercial property policy typically covers wind damage — including tornado damage — to the dwelling, roof, windows, and interior when water entered through a wind-created opening. Detached structures often have separate sub-limits. Flooding from rising water is usually covered only under a separate flood policy. Because Arthur brought both wind-driven rain and street flooding simultaneously, many Terrebonne and Lafourche property owners are going to face a fight over what caused each specific item of damage. Insurers call this “concurrent causation,” and they use it to deny or reduce claims. Knowing which cause of loss applies to each part of your home is exactly where an experienced eye makes the difference. And if someone was injured on your property because of storm damage — a collapsed awning, a downed fence, a flooded walkway — those situations can also involve premises liability claims in Louisiana that run parallel to your property claim.
I’ve been sitting with Houma families in my office on Grinage Street for over forty years, and the pattern after every major storm is the same: the initial offer is almost never the right number. Adjusters are under pressure to close claims quickly and cheaply. They may miss hidden damage — soaked insulation behind intact drywall, weakened roof decking under surface shingles, mold beginning in a flooded crawl space. They may misclassify wind damage as flood damage, or cite a named-storm deductible — which applies whenever a named tropical system is the proximate cause of damage, even after it weakens — to dramatically cut your payout. On a home insured for $250,000, a 2% named-storm deductible means $5,000 out of your pocket before the insurer pays anything. Many homeowners don’t know what their deductible actually is until the adjuster shows up. The Louisiana Department of Insurance requires your insurer to respond promptly, investigate fairly, and pay undisputed amounts without delay — but those rules only help if you know to assert them. Document everything: photograph every room and every damaged item, keep receipts for emergency repairs, and do not sign any release before you understand what you’re giving up. Free consumer guidance is also available through Louisiana Legal Aid for storm and hurricane survivors.
When I sit down with a family at my office on Grinage Street, often the most valuable thing I can do is simply explain what their policy says and whether the offer on the table is fair. That conversation is free — I offer a free case review for all storm damage claims. But there are specific situations where legal representation becomes critical: your claim has been denied without a clear written explanation; the insurer is taking far longer than Louisiana law allows; the settlement offer won’t cover your actual repair costs; or your business interruption claim has been ignored entirely. I’ve watched our community get knocked down after Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ida, and every storm in between. As a Houma hurricane claim lawyer who has been here since 1977, I know this coastline, I know these parishes, and I know how to hold insurers accountable when they treat our neighbors unfairly.
If Tropical Storm Arthur damaged your home or business in Houma, Terrebonne Parish, Lafourche Parish, or the surrounding area, call my office today for a free consultation: (985) 851-3311. You can also reach us through our contact page. Louisiana law sets strict deadlines for filing storm damage claims — don’t let the clock run out before you know where you stand.
