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Drunk driver ran into rented home, now I'm living in a motel that I cannot afford!

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PamelaOrner3

Junior Member
Last week a drunk driver slammed through my rented home in Pennsylvania, and the fire department will not allow us to live there. He went AWOL, and his insurance company cannot discuss the matter until they speak with him.

I am living with my husband and 3 kids in a tiny Super 8 room, but we are tight on money and cannot afford it. I've been told that the insurance company should either pay us directly, or the landlord, but the insurance company won't talk and the landlord says she won't consider paying a dime unless someone hands her a check.

What can we do? We have no credit and no viable means to pay for a lawyer. Should we use one of the "you don't pay unless you get paid" lawyers? Or is there a way to expedite the insurance company process?

Thanks!
Pam
 


StephenH

Member
I would recommend that you inquire about rooming with a friend or looking into getting another place to live ASAP. If the insurance does not respond, I would recommend getting a laywer. If you have renters insurance, I would file a claim with your renters policy and see if there will be any coverage for things like this. They may go after the drivers insurance. You might also notify your landlord and see if their homeowners policy would help get the construction started and go after the driver for damages to the building. Renters insurance will likely cover your belongings and maybe a temporary place to live while the landlords policy should cover physical building damage.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
You SHOULD have renters insurance that will cover your belongings and may help with housing costs. But your LL CAN NOT collect rent for any time your home is uninhabitable. Your LL should have already filed with HIS insurance company for the damage to the building. It is unlikely the drunk driver has enough property damage coverage to cover all the damage in this accident (state min here is only $5k). If your LL doesn't proceed with getting the building repaired in a timely manner, you may be able to terminate your lease and find somewhere else to live.

If you don't have renters insurance though, you get no sympathy from me.
 

PamelaOrner3

Junior Member
You SHOULD have renters insurance that will cover your belongings and may help with housing costs.
We have renters insurance, but it doesn't cover our housing costs ... just damage to our belongings (which there was none - the car missed everything of ours in the living room except a Christmas tree). Are you thinking we're out of luck?
 

PamelaOrner3

Junior Member
You need to be more insistent that your LL file with his insurance company
Thanks, we'll certainly do that. Also, do you know if our landlord is obligated to find temporary housing for my family until the house is fixed? I've heard of others who have done this, but never knew if it was out of legal obligation or kindness.
 

PamelaOrner3

Junior Member
You need to be more insistent that your LL file with his insurance company
I just spoke with the landlord (yet again). Her insurance doesn't cover our housing expenses, and she has no interest in covering part of our motel charges (we only pay $600/month in rent, so she'll only lose $300 vs. the $1200 we'll pay for motel charges). She is a real nasty lady, basically a slum lord.

Any other ideas? We're probably only a few days from using a homeless shelter. Luckily the library is next door so I'll still be able to use the internet for blogging and selling crafts (my primary jobs).
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
If it's going to be that long before the home is liveable again, you have grounds to terminate the lease and find a new place to live.
 

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