- October 5, 2019
Most of us will get into a car accident at one point in our lives. Thankfully, most of these are minor. You walk away with a few bumps and bruises. Sometimes, the biggest bruise is the one to your ego. Other times, you aren’t so lucky. If you do get into a serious car accident, you would expect to have your injuries covered by insurance. If the other driver was at fault, there’s no reason you should have to pay. Why is it your responsibility to pay for car repairs if you didn’t cause the accident? Having your insurance claim denied can be frustrating. And, while you can appeal the denial, it will take an awful lot of calls, emails and letters to do so. That is – if you don’t have a Louisiana car accident lawyer. A lawyer can help if your insurance claim is denied.
Your attorney will negotiate with the insurance adjuster to find out why your claim was denied. Sometimes, it’s a simple matter of missing information or incomplete forms. If this is the case, your lawyer will get it fixed as quickly as possible. If your claim was denied for some other reason, your attorney will do what they can to get it paid.
Why Would an Insurance Company Deny Your Claim?
When you get a letter saying your claim has been denied, you’re going to be angry. You may think there’s a dark cloud over your head. First, you get into a car accident. Second, your claim is denied. However, the truth is, there’s nothing personal about having your claim denied.
Insurance companies are in the habit of denying claims from time to time. Sometimes, they see something that makes them think the claim isn’t legitimate. Or, the claim is very large and they think it’ll be cheaper to deny the claim and settle it for less down the road.
There are some red flags that will make an insurance company deny your claim. Some of these include:
- Your claim is very large
- You have a history of filing insurance claims
- Your driving record is less than impeccable
- There is no police report
If your claim meets any of these criteria, there is a good chance it may be denied right off the bat.
Common Reasons Your Claim May Be Denied
Sometimes, your claim is denied for more serious reasons. It may look valid on its face, but once the adjuster reviews your claim, they decide to deny it. This is when you really need an experienced car accident lawyer in Baton Rouge.
For many insurance claims, an adjuster will review the claim closely before issuing payment. They’ll look at statements made by both drivers. They’ll review the accident report. They may even review medical records. After doing so, they’ll make their decision – to pay the claim or deny it.
Some of the reasons an insurance adjuster may deny your claim include:
- They believe the accident was your fault
- The policy had lapsed for non-payment
- the policy wasn’t valid
- The vehicle or driver wasn’t listed on the policy
- The adjuster doesn’t believe you were injured
In cases like this, your Louisiana car accident lawyer needs to negotiate with the insurance adjuster. They’ll reach out to them and see what they can do to settle your claim. Most of the time, they will come to an agreement. However, if they’re unable to do so, they’ll have no choice but to file a lawsuit on your behalf.
Your Louisiana Car Accident Lawyer Can File Suit
There are times when your attorney has no choice but to file suit. But – just because they file suit doesn’t mean you won’t be able to settle. Most car accident lawsuits settle long before trial.
Trials are time consuming and expensive. Nobody wants to go to trial, including the insurance company. This is why, at some point, the attorneys for both sides will get together and come up with a solution.
This means you may not get as much money as you want. However, as long as your settlement covers your out of pocket expenses, it’s a good idea to consider accepting it. There’s no guarantee you’ll win if you go to court.
Contact an Experienced Louisiana Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been involved in a car crash and your claim has been denied, you need help. You don’t know the first thing about insurance adjusters and legal claims. That’s why you should contact an experienced Louisiana car accident lawyer right away.
Call our office today and schedule your free initial consultation.