Our client faced a crisis when a contractor abandoned repair work on her home after Hurricane Ian, despite having already received insurance funds. The unfinished work left the property unsafe and uninhabitable, putting her at continued risk long after the storm had passed.
She contacted Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) for legal help. FRLS is a non‑profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide.
FRLS identified potential civil claims and filed suit against the contractor. The case quickly became complicated by significant service‑of‑process challenges. The contractor kept avoiding service, and even law enforcement couldn’t locate them. The case was temporarily dismissed because they couldn’t be served.
Our team kept investigating for months. Once the contractor was placed on probation and required to register an address, we hired a private process server who finally completed service. The case is now active again and moving forward, giving our client a path toward accountability and possible restitution.
This outcome shows how persistence and thorough investigation are essential to protecting disaster survivors from contractor fraud. If you or someone you know has been taken advantage of after a natural disaster, reach out to us at 1‑888‑582‑3410 or apply online at FRLS.org for help.