$475,000 Settlement Secured for Hernando County Homeowner After Sinkhole Coverage Denial
After noticing substantial damage to their home in Hernando County, our clients placed a sinkhole damage claim with their Tower Hill Select Insurance Company. Instead of honoring the claim, Tower Hill Select Insurance Company chose to deny our client’s claims and force them to file a lawsuit to obtain the benefit of their insurance policy.
Throughout the five-day trial of this matter, Tower Hill presented numerous expert witnesses who were biased in favor of the insurance company. Our firm worked diligently to demonstrate this bias to the jury. Furthermore, our firm also showed that the Neutral Evaluator, who testified that the home had not been damaged by sinkhole activity, was not “neutral” at all, considering over 90% of his yearly revenue was from insurance companies!
After a five-day jury trial in Hernando County, Florida, the jury awarded our clients the total damages to repair their homes. Since we were the prevailing party in the case, Tower Hill was responsible for paying not only all of the attorney’s fees and costs incurred in prosecuting the matter but also interest on the total amount of the jury award.
Why This Case Was So Important
Sinkhole claims in Florida are notoriously challenging to navigate. Insurance companies often try to:
- Deny that sinkhole activity exists, even when structural damage is visible.
- Blame the damage on “settling” or “maintenance issues.”
- Recommend cosmetic-only repairs instead of complete stabilization
In this case, Tower Hill Select Insurance refused to pay, despite independent engineers confirming sinkhole-related subsurface activity that compromised the home’s structural integrity. Rather than accepting a low offer or walking away, the homeowner turned to Williams Law Association, P.A., to pursue justice in court.
Type of Claim: Sinkhole Damage
Insurance Company: Tower Hill
Initial Insurance Response: Claim denied, asserting damage was not due to sinkhole activity
Our Settlement Results: $475,000
