James Charles Haigh's Answers

During the time of mold remediation, my renter's insurance pays for relocation, however, do I have to pay rent during this time?

I assume you have a written lease with your landlord? Does your lease include a provision for who is responsible for maintaining your home? I suspect landlord is responsible for items such as burst pipes (I am assuming they burst through no fault of yours). You were wise to purchase renters insurance which will cover your damages to the home. Your inquiry suggests that your home is uninhabitable during the mold remediation period. While you are being reimbursed by your own insurance...

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Can I sue someone who hit my car even if insurance covers the damages?

You may sue for your unreimbursed damages regardless of your deductible. The tricky issue is that there can only be one lawsuit against the adverse owner. Since your own insurer has the right to file suit against the adverse owner for the money they paid you (a subrogation claim), either you can join them in a suit, or your own insurer can waive their subrogation rights and you can pursue the adverse owner alone. As for the issue of the stolen car - the Vehicle Code (section 17150)...

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Do I have the right to use my own contractor and request the insurance check be sent to me?

I see no reason why HOA would insist on your using their contractor for repairs to non-common areas. If damage was in your (rental) unit, you should have the right to make repairs using your own contractor. If the damage was to common areas, they can use their own contractor, since they are responsible for having the repair done as part of their maintenance obligation. You need to be careful as well, since you are leasing the condo and you need to check with your owner to confirm owner is OK...

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Are adult children responsible for uninsured parents medical bills?

You did not receive any services from the hospital - your mother did. She is responsible for the medical bill. Assuming you did not sign any paperwork guaranteeing payment, I see not basis for the hospital collecting from you. If your mother is uninsured, she should contact the financial services department of the hospital and see if they have special programs for uninsured patients. I believe most will work with your mother to either forgive the balance or agree to a payment plan. I would...

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Is this insurance fraud?

Interesting scenario, however from your description I tend to agree that it does not sound like fraud to me. Merely filling out the incident report to include Company B as a negligent party is not necessarily fraud just because Company A's employee believes he was the only one responsible. It sounds like the details of what happened are subject to interpretation/dispute and in my view it is appropriate to indicate on the form who was involved and I am quite certain that the insurance company...

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We (7 people) are planning a class reunion. Do we need to have insurance? Would our individual homeowners ins be good enough?

As an insurance attorney for almost thirty-years, I have seen any number of bizarre claims, so my inclination is almost always to recommend insurance as an excellent way to spread the risk to an insurer (always be certain you have adequate liability limits and be aware that it is not much more money to increase those limits significantly). Your situation seems a little more unique insofar as you are talking about a one-time event. You have inquired whether the participants' individual...

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How can i get a copy of a police call ? and would it help at all?

Your question is not clear as to why you need additional information - are you making an uninsured motorist claim against your own policy for injuries? If so, I agree you should leave it to your insurance company to investigate. You called 911, and you submitted a police report of the accident. I assume there was some damage to you car? If there was contact and damage you should be OK, but you should certainly speak with a local attorney familiar with uninsured motorist claims to verify that...

I'm 29. At 21 I dicovered I was adopted illegally. I have attended school in CA all my life K -11.I need a soc sec card.

You need to consult with an immigration specialist as soon as possible, as they will know your rights. Your local Bar Association may be able to get you the name of an attorney or an organization that may offer low cost or free advice on immigration matters. Best of luck to you. Legal Disclaimer: I am licensed to practice law in Washington, District of Columbia and California. The response herein is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. The response is...

Does a private property owner have to carry insurance,

Your question does not mention whether your injury was related to you work on this job or not. If so, you should contact a workers compensation attorney in your area to see whether you may be entitled to benefits. Depending on what you were doing on the property, if the owner had homeowners insurance, his policy may include coverage for injuries to you while working - again depending on what you were doing, how much you earned, and how many hours you worked. A local workers comp or personal...

How do I stop my stepdaughter's mother from telling school officials and other people, that I am her sister when I am not?

I agree with the previous answer - send a certified letter to her demanding that she immediately cease from making such claims. If she does not, you may have a claim for defamation, provided you can prove damages from her comments. A local attorney would be your best bet - call your local Bar Association for their Lawyer Referral Service (Santa Clara County has one, I believe) and make an appointment to discuss this. In the meantime, you may want to try to determine whether you have suffered...