--- title: "Florida Jury Awards $75K in Home Insurance Dispute" meta: "og:description": "A Florida jury awarded $75K to Judy Dorcelus in a breach of contract case after her insurer underpaid a water damage claim despite acknowledging coverage." "og:title": "Florida Jury Awards $75K in Home Insurance Dispute" description: "A Florida jury awarded $75K to Judy Dorcelus in a breach of contract case after her insurer underpaid a water damage claim despite acknowledging coverage." --- July 10, 2025 # **Florida Jury Awards $75K in Home Insurance Dispute** A Florida jury awarded $75K to Judy Dorcelus in a breach of contract case after her insurer underpaid a water damage claim despite acknowledging coverage. [**Property damage**](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute/jury-verdict/category/property-damage) ### **Outline** Author ![](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) **Angad Chatha****Angad Chatha is a law graduate from Amritsar, Punjab, with over two years of experience in legal research and analysis. He has developed a strong niche in working with expert witnesses, providing critical support in preparing legal research and case studies. Known for his analytical mindset and attention to detail, Angad consistently delivers thorough and well-grounded insights that enhance case summaries. His commitment to accuracy and a deep understanding of legal frameworks make him a valuable asset in complex legal sector.** ![Article Image](https://media.jurimatic.com/cdn-cgi/image/q=70/images/default_1.webp) Judy Dorcelus and Myrtha Ambroise-Dorcelus secured a $75,000 jury award in a breach of homeowners insurance contract case against Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company. The dispute arose after a sudden plumbing failure caused water damage to their North Miami home. Although the insurer acknowledged the claim, it underpaid the damages, prompting the plaintiffs to sue for full reimbursement. ## **Case Background** Judy Dorcelus and Myrtha Ambroise-Dorcelus lived in North Miami, Florida. They held an active property insurance policy with the defendant, an insurance corporation authorized to issue property insurance in Florida. Their insured property was located at 120 NE 131st Street, North Miami. The defendant issued the policy in exchange for premiums paid by the plaintiffs. ### **Cause** On October 25, 2019, water suddenly discharged from a plumbing system in the insured home. The incident caused immediate physical damage. At the time, the insurance policy was in full effect. The plaintiffs reported the loss, and the insurer opened a claim. The insurer acknowledged the damage and accepted coverage. However, it unilaterally calculated the payout. The Plaintiffs disagreed with that amount and notified the insurer. Despite the dispute, the insurer failed or refused to pay the full value of the loss. ### **Injury** The property suffered water damage. While there was no bodily injury, the Plaintiffs claimed financial harm due to insufficient insurance reimbursement. They experienced the burden of repairing their damaged home without full compensation. ### **Damages** The Plaintiffs sought damages exceeding $30,000. They claimed the insurer breached the contract by underpaying the loss. They also requested statutory interest, court costs, and attorney’s fees under Florida law. Additionally, they claimed entitlement to attorneys’ fees under Florida Statutes §627.428 and/or §626.9373 due to the insurer’s failure to pay the full value of the claim. ## Key Arguments and Proceedings ### Legal Representation **Plaintiff:** Judy Dorcelus | Myrtha Ambroise-Dorcelus **Counsel for Plaintiff:** Vyacheslav Borshchukov **Defendant:** Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company **Counsel for Defendant:** Shannon M. West | Daniel J. Poterek ### **Claims** **Count I – Breach of Contract:** The plaintiffs alleged the insurer breached the insurance policy by failing to pay the full proceeds for a covered loss, despite acknowledging coverage. They demanded a jury trial on all issues triable by right. ### Defense Universal denied most of the Plaintiffs’ allegations and asserted that the Plaintiffs failed to comply with the insurance policy’s conditions. Specifically, the Plaintiffs reported the alleged loss more than three weeks after it occurred, which, according to Universal, prevented a timely investigation and caused prejudice. Universal claimed the Plaintiffs delayed mitigation efforts, failed to provide requested documentation, and sought payment for damages that were excessive, unrelated, or excluded under the policy. Universal also stated that it had already paid any covered amounts and denied that any waiver or estoppel applied. Based on these defenses, Universal requested the court to enter judgment in its favor. ### Jury Verdict On June 12, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Plaintiffs, awarding them $75,000 in damages. The jury found that Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company was liable under the terms of the insurance policy and that the Plaintiffs were entitled to recover for their covered losses. ## Court Documents [Complaint](https://www2.miamidadeclerk.gov/ocs/ImgViewerWF.aspx?QS=B6%2f9EwnZlIiih%2bgqiU8rawLJW%2bj4E30XGWoN6L%2b82TnMIqqeWIg9%2bXkyRDOi9kNkVaH9OG8N68fAqDO6KCJXzljMtJrht0HJQadlX6HyE%2bY%2bZr67RXqQ9K5B29z9ulfhNILkKedjkRp%2fcaijjtolhQcTYKADHqoLcReoz9EMlYppiaPLccl30Dxjuf1i%2bT%2bpSCKMufD%2b1nWth0Lv7C%2f7ssddIxNOfLvC2btFKoKk7uRGK6elLscIVPAJtjWT7C9RfqkySKOlpJofIvzAKOXh6uy9lU0jkM%2fEyJfIeqDDvuW0IMpWiRcJwA%3d%3d) [Verdict](https://www2.miamidadeclerk.gov/ocs/ImgViewerWF.aspx?QS=B6%2f9EwnZlIiih%2bgqiU8rawLJW%2bj4E30XGWoN6L%2b82TmBdKp0VuhnaSwY6Sc7ypvzFA%2fKbE5Lrc9DjkDVfU%2btD4%2fMBJs0BVS%2bHNCHpqGFh3ACLJsj9%2b1CN9CyXulXBw4aXS3CcRT%2fkmqW2HvtxUbAA0q8%2b%2bAyOGvsayr2q7DPlA900SY1gxtu0%2fNDr0%2bgCBPG2j3BqSCSfTlSypwtD4xRuKu1HOqKdJGDlTbdrLJw9J6XS6ci%2f5%2bdwzY5o3MjcjUy88lM9mA5gzRRh9Ep8jQlF0YlQYxzJFvHQ4KcBgowqzjMzDosftX2cJylMpqJA%2bfDr7MPvQNrx6A%3d) [Share with Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute) [Share with X](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute&text=x) [Share with LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute) [Share with Email](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute/mailto:?body=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute&subject=email) [Share with WhatsApp](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute%20whatsapp) ### **Find your next Expert Witness today** ![Sanjay Adhia](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **Sanjay Adhia** Forensic Psychiastry ![George Reis](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **George Reis** Forensic Imaging ![Maria Babinetz](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/florida-jury-awards-75k-in-home-insurance-dispute/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **Maria Babinetz** Vocational Rehabilitation Find and retain experts without brokerage or upcharge. ### Looking for more? 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