To everyone affected and that are suffering due to COVID-19, we pray that
God’s healing hand may rest upon you. To medical doctors, nurses
and the supporting staff in the frontline of the fight against this pandemic,
may the Good Lord sustain you and inspire you to render your life-saving
services with due care, love and compassion. To all those who have lost
their loved ones due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we convey our deepest
sympathies. We pray that their souls, through God’s mercy, may rest
in eternal peace. This crisis is urgent, and we may feel powerless at
times. But perhaps during our struggles, I encourage you to remain positive
as we shelter inside our homes. Spend this time to connect safely with
your friends, families and loved ones. Take a portion of your day and
share a few moments with those whom we care about most. And when these
overwhelming struggles cause us to feel small, let it remind us to pray.
As prayer is how we actively practice believing so confidently that God
has us all in his hands.
-Eric Dick
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GOV. GREG ABBOTT DOES NOT RULE OUT A SHUTDOWN
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Three weeks after Gov.
Greg Abbott required Texans to
wear masks, epidemiologists and disease modelers say they are cautiously optimistic
that the mandate is helping the state turn a corner in its efforts to
contain an outbreak that has killed more than 4,500 Texans.
Throughout the summer, Texas’ coronavirus outbreak became grimmer
by the day and by almost every metric: case counts, hospitalizations,
deaths. But in the past week or so, Abbott and some of the state’s
public health officials began to see hope in the daily case counts as
they appeared to stabilize.
A growing body of evidence points to widespread mask-wearing as an effective
strategy for containing the virus, and one North Texas researcher’s
statistical analysis published this week argued that local mask orders
in the region reduced viral transmission enough to avoid a lockdown. The
governor, who has faced
blistering criticism for his handling of the pandemic from members of his own political party, immediately seized upon those
findings in defense of his statewide order.
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HOUSTON PHYSICIAN AFFIRMS WE ARE NOT READY FOR FLU SEASON |
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Dr. Tran, my neighbor, is well respected in the medical community. As always,
I sincerely appreciate her insight. |
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MANY TEXANS REMAIN WITHOUT POWER IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HANNA
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Two days after Hurricane Hanna touched down in South Texas, thousands remained
without power and communities were grappling with how to deal with the
damage caused by flooding and strong winds.
The storm, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday evening
at Padre Island, packed sustained winds as high as 90 mph before weakening
into a tropical storm early Sunday and moving into northern Mexico. It
was the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hanna unleashed more than 15 inches of rain in parts of South Texas, resulting
in serious flash flooding, according to The Washington Post.
Gov. Greg Abbott warned Texans on Sunday that there are continued threats
of flash flooding even as rainfall slows, due to overflowing rivers.
"Any additional rainfall will exacerbate these threats, but the State
of Texas is ready to respond and protect our fellow Texans," he said
in a statement.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and President Donald Trump approved
a federal emergency declaration in response to Hanna, allowing for some
federal assistance and reimbursement for evacuation efforts and shelter
support. Abbott previously issued a
disaster declaration for 32 counties.
Downed power lines and trees have caused road closures across South Texas.
As of 1 p.m. Monday, American Electric Power Texas, one of the state's
largest electric providers, reported more than 58,000 power outages in
Corpus Christi, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley.
Hanna touched down as COVID-19 cases in South Texas continue to surge.
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TEXAS SCHOOLS ARE TO REOPEN CLASSROOMS ON THE STATE'S TIMETABLE
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After weeks of confusion and conflicting signals, Texas has settled into
policies that effectively compel schools to reopen their classrooms this
fall no later than eight weeks after the academic year begins, whether
they want to or not.
Teachers, parents, school administrators and public health officials have been
seeking clarity for weeks on how the state will approach reopening schools safely as coronavirus
infections and deaths rise across Texas.
Gov.
Greg Abbott has not responded directly to questions from reporters about who has the
authority to order schools closed in areas hard hit by the virus, and
the Texas Education Agency has sent mixed messages on reopening guidelines.
READ MORE
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WHAT HAPPENS IF I CAN'T GET HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE?
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A home is a significant investment, and it is important to take steps to
protect that investment against potential costly damages. A standard insurance
policy for homeowners covers your home and belongings in the event of
unforeseen destruction.
No one expects a house fire, but they happen every day. Unfortunately, there are circumstances that
make it difficult to obtain homeowner's insurance, leaving you without
a way to protect your investments. What are these circumstances that can
leave you denied for coverage, and what should you do about them?
1. Your home is in a high-risk area, such as an area with high crime and theft.
Insurance companies are hesitant to insure homes that may potentially lead
to regular claims. If your home is in an area where crime and vandalism
are a regular occurrence, you may struggle to get a standard policy. The
same can be said about areas that are at high risk of extreme weather
events. If your home is in an area where natural disasters, such as tornadoes
or flooding, occur often - it can mean your property is at high-risk of
damage. This can lead to higher premiums or even denial of coverage outright.
2. Your home is old or in disrepair.
Another reason you may be denied coverage is due to the state of your home.
Older homes may be charming in their own way, but they are typically more
expensive to repair in the event of damages. They tend to have more distinct
and unique architectural features that are difficult to replace. Plumbing
and electrical systems may be old as well and in need of repairs or updates.
There could be hidden problems, such as rotting or damaged wood, toxic
mold or lead, and unstable foundations. These potential problems lead
insurance companies to determine the risk is just not worth it.
READ MORE
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ROCKETS SUE NBA OVER DENIED PANDEMIC COVERAGE CLAIM |
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The Houston Rockets filed a lawsuit against the team's insurer for
denying a claim to recoup financial losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,
according to multiple reports.
Rocket Ball Ltd. and Clutch City Sports & Entertainment LP, the respective
holding companies for the Houston Rockets and the Toyota Center, sued
Rhode Island-based Affiliated FM Insurance Co. on July 15, according to
Rhode Island court records. The lawsuit asserts that more than $700,000
in annual premiums were paid for $400 million in business-interruption
coverage,
according to Bloomberg Law.
A
business-interruption insurance policy is typically written to protect a company in the wake of a natural disaster
or another event that would cause actual physical damage to a building
or other tangible property,
the Louisville Business Journal previously reported. The Rockets are the first NBA team to sue an insurer to recoup losses
brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, per the reports.
READ MORE
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INSURANCE BATTLE THEIR CLIENTS OVER THE CORONAVIRUS
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Carriers brag about how much money they will make by abandoning America
in the Pandemic. |
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The legal and legislative fight over how much insurance companies must
pay for coronavirus-related losses is just starting, and it's likely
to get uglier.
Why it matters: COVID-19 is, as one insurance industry executive puts it,
"the biggest insured loss event in history." For many companies,
a successful insurance claim will make the difference between staying
in business or going bust.
Where it stands: Insurance lawyers keeping tabs on the litigation say that
hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against insurers over coronavirus-related
claims — from companies like
In-N-Out Burger, the
Houston Rockets, and the nonprofit
Simon Wiesenthal Center — with scant success so far.
What’s at stake, according to an insurance industry trade group:
- COVID-19 could generate $40 to $80 billion in insurance payouts in the
U.S., and over $100 billion internationally.
- By contrast, 9/11 generated $47 billion, while Hurricane Katrina generated
$54 billion.
The big picture: Companies naturally want to recover their losses. That's
what insurance is for, in their view. But insurers argue that business
interruption policies only cover physical damage — like the kind
incurred during floods and fires — and that virus contamination
doesn't count.
- They also say the industry couldn't possibly afford to foot the bills
being tossed at it.
- "When the end of the world is coming and we’re being asked to
pay for it, clearly that’s not something you can responsibly do,"
Robert Gordon, SVP of policy, research and internationalat the American
Property Casualty Insurance Association, tells Axios.
So far, the handful of decisions that have been handed down in relevant
cases have gone against the policy holders — who typically don't
have enough money or time to pursue endless litigation against their insurers.
- "The insurers are probably likely to prevail in a lot of this,"
Alexandra Roje, an insurance lawyer at Lathrop GPM, tells Axios. "Does
that mean that we should stop fighting the good fight? I say no."
READ MORE
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JURY VERDICT ORDERS STATE FARM LIFE INSURANCE TO PAY $34.3M TO POLICYHOLDERS
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The class action was filed in June 2016, in the Western District of Missouri
by Michael Vogt and other individuals who owned universal life insurance
policy form 94030 issued by State Farm.
The lawsuit alleged that State Farm breached the terms of the policies by
overcharging policyholders through cost of insurance provisions causing policies to lose value and
in many cases lapse, leaving many without life insurance.
Trial commenced June 1, 2018 and the jury awarded $34.3 million to approximately
24,000 Missouri policyholders. State Farm appealed to the Eighth Circuit
asserting various errors and Vogt cross appealed. Vogt prevailed on all issues.
"We're very happy with the court's decision to affirm the
trial court," said John Schirger, co-lead counsel and founding partner
of Miller Schirger LLC. "We hope that these policyholders, who for
decades were unknowingly overcharged, will soon finally receive payments."
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DOES MAKING AN INSURANCE CLAIM RAISE MY RATES?
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Insurance Advice & Help by Eric Dick - Questions? Email eric@dicklawfirm.com |
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SIGN THE PETITION - KEEP EDUCATION SAFE AMIDST COVID-19 |
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Teachers and students across the country await the systemic changes in
the education system this upcoming school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many teachers fear for the safety and well-being of their students and
themselves.
“I’m afraid for my life if we have to return to in-person
teaching with the case rates this high,” said a local Houston special
education teacher. This teacher is not alone - many educators across the
country echo her concerns. With the latest announcements coming from entities
like the Texas Education Agency, these fears have a potential to become reality.
We need schools to open. Education is the backbone of our country. However,
the traditional brick-and-mortar style of education cannot continue in
the midst of a surging global pandemic. We must push for temporary remote
education opportunities that are accommodating to both teachers and students.
Sign the petition below to show support for safe education opportunities for the 2020-2021
school year.
www.educatesafe.org
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GOV. ABBOTT’S CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE CONTRIBUTE $$$$ TO HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
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Members of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s coronavirus “strike
force” have contributed hundreds of thousand of dollars to his re-election
campaign as the number of COVID-19 cases and the death toll has mounted,
records show.
Since naming members of the Strike Force to Open Texas in mid April, Abbott pulled
in just over $640,000 from appointees or affiliated groups, according
to his most recent campaign finance report on file with the Texas Ethics
Commission. All had donated previously to Abbott, one of the most prodigious
fundraisers in Texas political history.
The new contributions drew fire from ethics watchdogs and the Texas Democratic
Party, the latter accusing Abbott of having “profited off this crisis”
and calling on him to return the money.
“Abbott’s pay-to-play response to the coronavirus is exactly
what we expected and exactly the same response as his political lodestar,
Donald Trump,” said Texas Democratic Party spokesman Abhi Rahman.
“Trump and Abbott have decimated Texas, and their shared policies
have seen Texas set new highs for coronavirus infection rates, hospitalizations
and deaths. Abbott’s contributions are unconscionable.”
John Wittman, a spokesman for the governor, and all but one donor did not
immediately respond to requests for comment.
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