Hugo Alvarez

April 14, 2017

Published by Hugo Alvarez at April 14, 2017

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Four Questions Potential Buyers Should Consider Before Purchasing An Investment Property

Here are four questions potential buyers should consider before purchasing an investment property. What are your financial goals? You should create rules to help stay focused. For instance, are you looking to make money by way of monthly rent checks, or is this a long-term appreciation investment where you look to cash out upon the sale of the property in a few years? These rules should be tailored to the buyer’s short and long term goals. You should also set clear objectives as it relates to the amount of time and money you are willing to invest to improve the […]

April 14, 2017

Published by Hugo Alvarez at April 14, 2017

Categories

Case Law Analysis Regarding Value Policy Law and What You Should do to Ensure Payment

The Ceballos had purchased a homeowner’s insurance policy and purchased a supplemental policy through Citizens Property Insurance (“Citizens”). When they lost their home to a fire, Citizens paid the face value of the policy. However, Citizens argued that the Ceballos first had to show proof of actual loss before they could recover additional damages under the supplemental policy. The Ceballos argued that because they met their burden of demonstrating a total loss under Florida’s Valued Policy Law §627.702 (“VPL”), they should receive the policy limits of the supplemental coverage without establishing any additional loss. Florida’s Supreme Court disagreed and held […]

March 10, 2017

Published by Hugo Alvarez at March 10, 2017

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Insurance

Drinking and Driving Never Pays

Everyone should know by now that drinking and driving never pays. But it could also cost family members some much needed help by way of life insurance proceeds. In American Heritage Life Insurance Company v. Carmen Morales, a family was denied death benefits because the decedent had been drinking and was legally intoxicated at the time of the jet ski accident that resulted in his death. So his family was unable to recover any death benefits because the decedent was legally drunk at the time of his death. By way of additional background, in that case, the insured purchased […]

March 9, 2017

Published by Hugo Alvarez at March 9, 2017

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Slavin Doctrine Applied to the Design Company in Absolving them of Liability from a Wrongful Death Claim

Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal was recently asked to address an issue involving Florida’s Slavin doctrine. In that case, the appellate court concluded that the Slavin doctrine applied to the design company in absolving them of liability from a wrongful death claim. Specifically, the Plaintiff’s father died as a result of a car accident that occurred as he was exiting a mobile home park and collided with a truck. Plaintiff alleged that the traffic signal at the intersection allowed a driver exiting the mobile home park to rely upon a traffic signal further out into the intersection while overlooking […]