Who is responsible for sinkholes

Public Records. Contact DEP. Page Content. Who can I call for help? What causes a sinkhole. Who can I call for help. Info on the web. Government that Works Protect clean air, clean water, and public health and conserve working farms, forests, and natural lands. You will want your insurance adjuster to be on top of the situation as soon as possible after securing and marking off the area. In conjunction with contacting your insurance company, check with your local government office to find out if an agency exists that can assist you in evacuating your home, assessing damage, and reporting the sinkhole.

In some Florida communities, the local Emergency Management Office can provide assistance in circumstances in which the home is endangered. To know for sure if you have a sinkhole, you will need to obtain the results of a test by a licensed engineer with a professional geologist on staff or by a geological testing firm, either of whom can perform an evaluation of your property. Pricing can vary widely from such firms. As such, it is important for you to understand from your insurance company whether or not the geological assessment is covered by your insurance policy.

You may also find that your local Water Management District performs sinkhole assessments, and these may be less expensive than those performed by private companies. Sinkholes can change in size rapidly. Continuously monitor the size of your sinkhole, making sure to remain at a safe distance from the sinkhole at all times. If you originally decided to stay in your home because you saw no signs of damage impact from the sinkhole, continue checking for signs of damage impact.

Sinkhole dangers can evolve quickly, and you need to remain vigilant and be ready to evacuate your home at the first sign of damage. Dumping materials into sinkholes could possibly contaminate groundwater. Typically, the undermining of the ground below the area of a sink hole will almost always ensure a sink hole will occur. If the ground beneath a road has been altered by drilling deep into the earth, the road will be unstable after a period of time.

Typically, the road will collapse into a sink hole due to this type of ground alteration after a substantial rain. The rain water may have no way to drain out and start to pool causing destabilized earth. Disturbing the earth by drilling for natural resources is another way to destabilize the ground beneath our homes and businesses.

However, if the sinkhole is man-made due to activities, those responsible for the activity are also responsible for your losses and can be taken to court. Always investigate why a sink hole occurred to determine your course of action.

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