One of the first things we tell people to do after a car accident is to call the police. They’ll come out and do a thorough investigation of the accident scene. They’ll also make sure you get taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Once they’re done, they’ll issue their police report. Your car accident attorney in Richmond will need this report to prove your case. It’ll also be required by the insurance company in order to review your claim.
After you submit your insurance claim, you should hear back from the adjuster in a matter of days. If you’re lucky, they’ll just send you a check for your claim. They may call and ask for more information or documentation. Depending on the reason for the delay, your claim may be paid or denied. If it is denied, you’ll get a letter explaining why it was denied. The first thing you should do after receiving this letter is call a skilled car accident lawyer.
Depending on what the denial letter says, your attorney may be able to help. They can certainly help you file your appeal. If the appeal is denied as well, they can file a lawsuit on your behalf.
Why Would the Insurance Company Deny Your Claim in the First Place?
The reason people pay for auto insurance is in case they get into an accident. Insurance is supposed to cover any medical bills or damage to your car. It’s also meant to compensate anyone who is injured in an accident. When the other driver is at fault, you should expect their insurance company to pay your claim. When they don’t do this, it can be alarming. This is especially true if your injuries are serious.
The insurance company may deny your claim for a variety of reasons. Some of these include the following:
- The policy wasn’t valid at the time of the accident
- The policy lapsed or was canceled for non-payment
- They don’t believe you were injured in the crash
- The insurance adjuster thinks you were at fault
- You didn’t submit all of the necessary information or documents
- You have a history of filing auto insurance claims
It’s important to keep in mind that if the claim was denied because the policy wasn’t valid, there’s nothing even your Richmond car accident attorney can do. No insurance company is going to pay out on an invalid policy. However, for the other reasons, your attorney may be able to help.
What Are the Odds of Your Claim Being Paid?
It wouldn’t be fair for any Richmond accident attorney to guarantee that they can get your claim paid. There’s no way to know for sure. It really depends on the facts of the case and the reason for denial. For example, if you’re missing paperwork, your lawyer can make sure this paperwork makes its way to the insurance adjuster. If they don’t believe you were injured, your lawyer can always submit copies of your medical records to prove you were hurt. They’ll do their best to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Skilled Car Accident Attorney in Richmond Right Away
If you get into a car accident, the last thing you want to do is hear that your insurance claim has been denied. The reason you pay for insurance is so that this won’t happen. You shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for medical bills. The person who caused the crash should have to pay to get your car fixed.
When something like this happens, you should reach out to an experienced Richmond car accident lawyer. They can review your claim and find out why it was denied. Depending on the denial, they may be able to help you file an appeal. Every case is unique, so it’s impossible to say one way or another if your appeal will be successful. However, you have a much better chance of resolving your claim if you have an attorney handle it for you.
Insurance companies tend to take lawyers a lot more seriously than they do laypeople. They won’t ignore your attorney’s calls or emails. They’ll also be less likely to try to take advantage of an attorney. Call right away and schedule your free, initial consultation. An experienced car accident lawyer in Richmond can review your case and give you an idea of what it’s worth. The consultation is free, and you don’t have to pay anything until your case is resolved.
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