The recent powerful tornadoes that tore through Kentucky, Missouri, and Virginia left thousands of homes and businesses damaged. As communities bravely begin to rebuild, many face a less visible but equally important challenge: recovering vital information stored on damaged computers, phones, and other devices.

At SalvageData, we understand that immediate safety is the top priority after a disaster. But as you start to pick up the pieces, the thought of losing precious photos, important documents, or critical business files can add immense stress. We are here to help when you're ready to address this.

Your data can often be saved

Electronic devices hit by tornadoes can suffer various types of damage:

• Physical impact: from debris or falling objects.
• Water damage: from rain or flooding.
• Power surges: from lightning or damaged electrical systems.
• Contamination: from dust, mud, or other debris.

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Even with severe damage, the good news is that data inside these devices can often be recovered by experts.

Free emergency evaluation for tornado victims

To support those affected, SalvageData is offering a free emergency data recovery evaluation program for all tornado victims. This service provides professional documentation of device damage that is essential for your insurance claims, especially for "Proof of Loss" requirements.

How a data recovery evaluation helps your insurance claim:

Think of our evaluation as expert evidence that strengthens your claim with your insurer. Here’s how it helps:

1. Verifies the damage: Our certified evaluation confirms the device is physically damaged (e.g., water, fire, impact) and describes the exact type and extent of the damage. Insurers need more than just your word.
2. Proves you tried to prevent more loss: Insurance policies often ask you to show that you made a reasonable effort to prevent further damage. Our evaluation shows you actively tried to recover your data instead of just giving up on it. This proves you acted responsibly.
3. Estimates recovery possibilities: Our report tells you if data can be recovered, what kind of recovery process is needed, and if a full or partial recovery is expected. This information can justify recovery costs to your insurer or help value your lost data if recovery isn't possible.
4. Provides detailed documentation: Our evaluation includes crucial details like your device's make/model/serial number, its condition, estimated recovery costs, and notes on how important the data is (e.g., for business, medical, or legal reasons).

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All this information fits directly into your "Proof of Loss" package. Without proper documentation, claims can face delays, reduced payments, or even denial.

Special help for healthcare providers

Healthcare organizations face unique challenges during disasters, needing to balance patient care with protecting sensitive information like HIPAA-protected data. To help these essential services, SalvageData is offering:

• Priority handling for healthcare providers with damaged systems containing patient health information (PHI).
• A complimentary upgrade to expedited services to minimize downtime and speed up recovery for healthcare providers.
• Specialized documentation that addresses HIPAA compliance rules.
• Expert guidance on data recovery options that keep you compliant with regulations.

What to do if your devices were damaged

If your electronic devices were affected by the recent tornadoes:

• Do NOT turn on wet or damaged devices. This can cause more harm and make data impossible to recover.
• Do NOT try home remedies like putting devices in rice or using hair dryers. These can cause more damage.
• Keep devices in a safe place until they can be properly evaluated by professionals.
• Document everything with photos for your insurance purposes.

How to get your free emergency evaluation

Tornado victims can access these free emergency evaluation services by calling SalvageData Recovery directly at 1.800.972.3282 or by starting a case online at https://www.salvagedata.com/request-help.

When submitting devices, please use the code TORNADORELIEF.

We understand that recovery can take time. To ensure we can help as many people as possible, these free services will be available for the next 5 months, through October 28, 2025. If you or someone you know has been affected, please reach out to us before this date so we can assist you.