for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com may 9, 2013 • The quens Courier 17 s sandy aftermath GASSED UP AG GOES AFTER SANDY GOUGERS BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com Long lines at the pump were not the only fuel-related pains felt after Sandy. Rapidly increasing fuel prices further victimized storm survivors. Now the state is getting back at the gas gougers. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has filed lawsuits against four New York gas stations and has reached settlements with 25 others for violating the gas price gouging statue immediately after the storm. “Six months ago, as New Yorkers were sitting in lines waiting for hours to buy critical supplies of gasoline, some shady business owners were trying to make a fast buck at their expense,” Schneiderman said on Thursday, May 2. “Today, we are sending a powerful message that ripping off New Yorkers during a time of crisis is against the law and we will do everything in our power to hold them accountable.” The attorney general said his office received hundreds of complaints regarding post-Sandy gas price gouging and price jumps that took place up to several times a day. An investigation into those complaints found dozens of area stations in violation of New York State’s Price Gouging Law. The statute prohibits vendors, retailers and suppliers from charging prices that reflect a “gross disparity” between prices immediately before and after a natural disaster or similar event that cannot be attributed to other factors outside of the seller’s controls. The 25 gas stations that settled will pay a total of $167,850. One of those stations, a Mobil at 40-40 Crescent Street in Long Island City, increased its retail markup on regular gasoline from $1.03 a gallon before Sandy to $2.08 immediately after the storm, according to the attorney general. Drivers paid $4.89 a gallon to fill up their tanks post-storm at the station. Only one New York City gas station, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, along with three in Long Island, is named in Schneiderman’s lawsuit. Investigations are pending against dozens of other stations. STORM CHASER Lawyer helps victims from Louisiana to Queens BY MAGGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com He has helped victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Ike. Now he wants to assist those affected by Sandy. Lawyer John Houghtaling and his firm specialize in claim insurance litigation and disaster recovery law. They have chased storms around the country to help hurricane victims get the recovery they deserve. Most recently, Houghtaling has ventured to New York to help Sandy victims. He has spoken at town halls and his firm has met with hundreds of clients. “The insurance companies have dominated this PHOTO COURTESY OF SHEINKOPF LTD Lawyer John Houghtaling has represented storm victims after Hurricanes Katrina and Ike and has now come to Queens to help those affected by Sandy. process because people really don’t know where to turn,” Houghtaling said. The lawyer said he sees the same thing happen after every storm—insurance companies downplaying damage or deferring payments to the federal government. “They don’t want to pay you,” he said. There are five key things that Houghtaling said homeowners should be aware of to get their insurer’s cooperation. First, he suggests getting a home inspection done by an independent adjuster, not one affiliated with the insurance company. The company’s adjuster has more reason to save the company money and downplay damages to a home. Second, understand the difference between winddriven rain and flooding. Wind-driven rain penetrates a home’s walls, and insurance companies are supposed to pay for the damages. However, Houghtaling said insurance companies are “trained to blame everything on flood,” which is covered by federal aid. Next, homeowners are entitled to an unconditional check of their residences. Houghtaling said you should also understand the timeframe in which insurance companies are supposed to get back to you and ultimately pay for damages. The last tip is to understand the ins and outs of your own insurance policy. Houghtaling said places like Louisiana and Texas are better equipped for catastrophic storms than Queens, where people are “unfamiliar” with where to find help. “The infrastructure to help people isn’t there, so there is massive amounts of confusion,” the attorney said. Homeowners are entitled to recovery assistance up to two years after the date of the storm, and Houghtaling recommended getting your home’s walls checked as soon as possible. They can stay wet for eight months to a year, and with the hot summer on its way, mold can become a problem. Mold, he noted, is not covered by insurance. Houghtaling’s next speaking appearance is at a town hall meeting on Wednesday, May 22 at Beach Channel High School. Regional Hospitals in the NY Metro Region... 1of the Best ...with High-11 Performing Specialties Award-winning care across an extraordinary range of medical specialties. 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