| Author |
Message |
Lee Mushaney
Registered User
Username: Red
Post Number: 22
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 26, 2002 - 4:48 pm: | |
Ghost, yes I do believe there are regional differences within the state of CA. I haven't worked San Diego nor right at the Or. border, but I have worked from just south of Irvine to Redding and the ocean to the borders thru the deserts. I find that the No Californians want everything done at their convenience and yesterday. I haven't found that really in hardly any other state. Most states the insureds are willing to and will stop their lives to meet with the adjuster that is not as common here. The southern area still will work with you but they tend to try to push the envelope more. The people inland seem more like the other states of the union I have found them helpful and nice to deal with. I think you are right about the north
in that they are "honest thieves" some would really like you to join in with them but you know what I am talking about. The southern part I don't think they have figured out yet how to do it. They are learning though.
Now Jim for your favorite story. Numerous years ago I had a claim from a windstorm here in Bakersfield. The insured had a apartment complex
that was a converted motel. Anyway, I went to do the inspection and he didn't get what he wanted so
as I was setting the ladder to get on the roof he said "ouch, you just hit me in the head with the ladder" Did I, NO did I have to defend it YES.
He wasn't even on the same side where I was lifting it. ie I was lifting right to left to roof. He was on the opposite side of me from where I was lifting from the ground. As soon as he did it I knew what was going on, I immediately took photos of both sides of his head which just happened to be in front of me as I was taking photos of the risk. There was no blood not even any marks. He alleged memory loss, unable to work, unable to function. At the deposition, his attorney said "If you didn't hit him, why did you take the photos of his head" my reply was "because I knew we were going to be here today." His attorney wasn't thrilled. He ask if I had permission to take the photos of his head, I said the insured knew I was taking photos of the whole area why would I ask permission to take photos of anything. I told him I was merely protecting myself.
So I guess you have to say you have to do everything here with the idea of someone filing a suit against you because they may whether you do anything or not. |
John A. Postava
Registered User
Username: Johnp
Post Number: 40
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Monday, August 26, 2002 - 9:10 am: | |
I am still being asked to appear in court in Miami on an Andrew loss still in suit. I handled the flood with no repercussions. The homeowner is in suit with his HO carrier and they want me because I am the only person left who was actually in the house prior to the insured (prematurely) knocking it down! What a mess! |
Jim Flynt
Registered User
Username: Jimflynt
Post Number: 399
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 4:16 pm: | |
And while you're at it Lee, be sure and tell Ghost about the California Cuban and the ladder accident. It would almost be funny if it weren't true.
As some had to learn the hard way, you don't mess with "The Red Head" |
Ghostbuster
Registered User
Username: Ghostbuster
Post Number: 337
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 2:34 pm: | |
Miz Red, Are there regional differences within your state? Are the San Diegoians different from L.A.? Are San Franciscans unique from those in Sacremento or on the Oregon border?
I found people in San Francisco proper to be what I refer to as 'honest thieves". That is, they know that I know what they are up to. There was none of the hypocrisy that is prevalent in L.A. In fact they were proud of this trait. Since we all knew what the rules of the game were, I got along fine with them. I got to enjoy driving up the hills with a standard transmission and gauging how slow to drive so I wouldn't have to burn out my clutch by stopping halfway up the slope. Parking was also fun because I would put myself in a cosmic trance and a parking place would open up every time in front of the Risk. (Go ahead and scoff! Go ahead and laugh! Go ahead and make your snide remarks, but it happened.)
Anyways Red, go ahead and tell us a bedtime story about the peoples of California. We're all getting kind of tired of hearing about Texas. |
Kile Anderson
Registered User
Username: Kileanderson
Post Number: 159
Registered: 1-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 7:45 pm: | |
I was in basic training at Ft. Benning, GA. One night after a particularly hard day of training our drill sergeant said everyone with family in Florida or Louisiana stay here, everyone else hit the showers. When you are in basic training you are completely cut off from the outside world, no TV, radio or newspapers for 8 weeks. Once everyone else was in the barracks they marched us over to the pay phones where a Red Cross lady was waiting for us. She told us about the hurricane and gave everyone rolls of quarters so we could call home. That was the longest wait of my life as I stood there in line waiting for a phone, wondering if anyone would be there to answer the phone. Luckily my family was in Lafayette and Baton Rouge, LA. They were fine. The guys from South Florida couldn't get through and the red cross took them and helped them get messages to their families. I still had no clue how bad it had been until the mail started arriving from family and friends. I guess the moral to the story is if you ever have a loved one in basic training, write to them every chance you get. |
Lee Mushaney
Registered User
Username: Red
Post Number: 21
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 4:46 pm: | |
Gee Ghost, if LA fell in the ocean I would have ocean view property. I being a Californian and feeling flustrated as you do at times have come to realize that we are talking a whole different
group of people here in Ca. It isn't just LA, but be thankful that it was LA not Northern CA. Dealing with people in northern Ca is completely different than the folks in the southern part of CA. and I have to add here not to the better.
It seems like no matter how much bend to help they want more. The more you give the more they want and push the envelope beyond the limit and of course every other person is an attorney so they run to the attorney to make sure they get more. There is a attorney ad on TV in the LA area that says "get all you can" which really says it all. |
Ghostbuster
Registered User
Username: Ghostbuster
Post Number: 336
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 3:54 pm: | |
Some years ago in my publication, I wrote an article that was sort of a catharisis for we veterans of Andrew in Miami and So. Louisana. It helped put to rest the intensity of the memories. At Andrew, I realized I was the right man in the right place with the right skills and tools doing the right thing getting those people back on their feet. We all did, and came out the other end having earned our status as heroes.
Then came the earthquake... We charged out there with our Andrew mind sets expecting to be the heroes and help the Californians as we had helped the Floridians and Louisianaians. I don't know about you, but I quickly came to the viewpoint that that earthquake wasn't quite strong enough. It should have been at least a 12.5 on the Richter scale to teach those good folks a lesson in humility like Andrew taught Miami. I still think that if L.A. had slid into the Pacific, it would have been devine justice. Considering the way we were treated like filth while doing our best to help them, they deserved it. |
mark salmon
Registered User
Username: Olderthendirt
Post Number: 211
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 1:05 am: | |
I have a number of memories, of devestation, of people who were simply trying to survive, trying to find houses when the street signs were long gone, salvation army and baptist mobile kitchens on the road every morning while the red cross was busy with red tape, every adjuster in the motel were I stayed having cook outs and keeping an eye on each other, liberty city and little havana. I also remember armed guards out side damaged bukldings and trailer parks west of homestead guarded by armed soldiers how chased you away if you got to close. So many things I will never forget, including hand writing large estimates. |
Richard Brooks
Registered User
Username: Rwbrooks
Post Number: 3
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 12:39 am: | |
How many of us got their start at Andrew?
How many are still in our business?
I got my chance with good ole Lindsey, Morden and the help of my brother. Tomorrow is my 10 year anniversary, too.
|
Jim Flynt
Registered User
Username: Jimflynt
Post Number: 398
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 12:32 am: | |
Tomorrow (August 24) marks the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew making landfall in the Miami/South Dade area.
Please post your thoughts, recollections, reflections, and lasting memories of the U.S.'s largest natural disaster here. |
