Mayor Linda Gorton, the longest-serving member of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, is urging patience. The city is recovering from recent windstorms that damaged buildings, downed trees, and knocked out power to thousands in Fayette County. A total of 64 counties and 19 cities have declared a state of emergency from the storm’s damage.
Today we’re looking at the damage that the recent windstorms have caused in Kentucky, the repair efforts, and how we can help people to rebuild.
The damage that windstorms have caused in Kentucky
The windstorms in early March 2023 caused millions of dollars in damage throughout Fayette County and the state of Kentucky, with winds measured at more than 70 miles per hour in some locations.
Sadly, 5 people in Kentucky lost their lives after severe weather brought extreme wind gusts and thunderstorms, according to Governor Beshear.
Major power outages plagued Kentucky due to fallen trees and downed power lines, leaving thousands of customers without power. Kentucky Utilities claimed that the weather in early March impacted more than 300,000 customers throughout their service area, and 2,500 power lines went down. Thousands of buildings went without power, as the windstorm damaged more than 230 electricity poles and repairs went on for days. Traffic lights were also affected, with some intersections powered by an inverter.
The windstorms have caused damage to homes, businesses, and public buildings. Fayette County Public School buildings experienced not just loss of power but damages that requires repair to roofs, gutters, awnings, and ceilings. Many schools had to close while these repairs were addressed.
The bridge at the Red River Gorge was destroyed. Wolfe County Search and Rescue discovered that the suspension bridge on the Sheltowee Trace Trail was severely damaged by a fallen tree. The team was able to help a family of hikers who were stranded on the far side of the bridge.
Kentucky’s repair efforts
At Boggs Law Group, we want to thank the hard-working crews who have been working tirelessly to get power back to Kentucky folks. Clean-up and repair efforts are expected to take several days, with electricians clearing downed wires before street crews can clear debris.
The city and the Red Cross are helping those with medical issues and without power to find shelter. FoodChain is preparing meals for people who have lost food and can’t afford to replace it.
Mayor Gorton announced that she will declare a state of emergency, which will help with processing damage claims. Although the amount of total damage is not yet known, the city is collecting information from homeowners and business owners on damages. It’s already thought that damages will be in the millions. “It’s going to take a huge effort to get some of these buildings back. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation,” said Gorton.
Here to help
For Kentuckians who have been affected by windstorms, successful home insurance claims are essential to rebuilding. However, insurance companies can dispute claims, making what should be fair and straightforward into a complex game of denials, delays, and lowball settlement offers. This adds unnecessary stress to an already stressful situation.
That’s why the hardworking and dedicated team at Boggs Law Group is here to help. We have extensive experience in helping Kentuckians to claim the compensation that they need and deserve after a windstorm or extreme weather event. We understand the policy language and we put up a fight for what our clients need.
Our goal is to get you to receive everything that’s owed to you and to restore your property to the condition it was in before the windstorm.
We are ready for your call. Let’s talk.