Why Are Some Auto Insurance Claims Denied?
Posted on October 11, 2017 Written By: iadminlaw
Following a car accident, it’s important to promptly file a claim with your insurance company. Ideally, the insurance company will accept your claim and compensate you for the damages—but it’s not at all uncommon for claims to be denied. It’s important to understand why an insurance claim might be rejected, and what legal options you have should this ever happen to you.
Why Are Car Insurance Claims Denied?
Here is a quick rundown of some of the possible reasons why your car insurance claim might be denied. These tips come from our Santa Ana car accident lawyers.
The insurance company believes that the accident was avoidable.
From the viewpoint of the insurance company, not every accident is truly an accident. Some happen due to circumstances that were completely avoidable—for example, you were driving while intoxicated, or you allowed an unlicensed driver behind the wheel of your car. In these instances, the insurance company may deem your coverage to be ineffective.
You did not seek immediate medical attention.
If you ask for compensation to help cover medical costs, but cannot produce evidence that you actually sought prompt treatment, the insurance company may question whether your injury claims are legitimate. Make sure that, following an accident, you seek immediate attention from a doctor of hospital, and that you keep track of any records of your medical visits. If you don’t seek medical care until months down the road, the insurance company may be less willing to pay for it.
Your medical records offer no evidence of an injury.
Along the same lines: If you don’t have any medical records that prove you sustained a real injury, your insurance company will likely deny your claim.
Your medical condition is pre-existing.
If the insurance company believes your medical issue existed before the accident, you are less likely to receive compensation—though, if you can argue that the accident made your condition worse, that might be enough for your claim to be accepted.
What Are Your Legal Options?
If your claim is denied for any of these reasons, contact your car accident lawyer, and together you can reach out to the insurance company to find out how you can get your claim accepted. Do not contact the insurance company without your car accident lawyer in Santa Ana present on the line.
If your claim is denied but none of these reasons are stated, that might mean that the insurance company is acting in bad faith—that is, failing to live up to its obligation. If that’s the case, then you may need to enlist the help of a car accident lawyer in Santa Ana to fight for your rights and to win your just compensation.
I Accident Lawyer fights hard for our clients. We only represent those who have been injured in car accidents, never insurance companies or big corporations. We are ready to help you get answers and get results from your car insurance company. If you need help getting your insurance claim accepted, contact the Santa Ana car accident lawyers at I Accident Lawyer today.
I Accident Lawyer in Santa Ana
1851 East First Street, Suite #900
Santa Ana, CA 92705
800-920-0810 (Toll Free)