Are you worried about facing insurance problems after an accident? Unfortunately, it’s a reality for so many victims who have a lot to deal with already post-crash.
One of the first things you need to do after being hurt in a car accident is to notify your car insurance company. You may provide them with information from the scene of the accident, such as photos, videos, and other important details like copies of the police report. However, insurance problems may add to the difficulty of your life post-accident.
On top of the typical challenges you’d expect after any vehicle accident, you may encounter additional issues working with your insurance company after you open a claim. This frustrating hurdle causes many victims additional stress because they are already dealing with the aftermath of their physical injuries and the emotional toll of an accident.
Hiring an experienced California personal injury lawyer may be one of the most effective ways to help prepare you for what to expect in the insurance process and allow you to fight for maximum compensation. Unfortunately, many common types of insurance disputes can occur after an auto accident that could lead to delayed claims, denied claims, or other speed bumps in the process. These insurance problems after an accident can add to the stress you already experience.
Most Common Insurance Problems after a Car Accident
If you are experiencing insurance problems after a car accident, here are some of the most common scenarios you may face. The first is a claim value disagreement. This is a disagreement with the insurance carrier over the cost or extent of the claimed losses or damages, including repairs, medical expenses, or other losses. For example, the insurance company may argue that repair costs are inflated, or they may argue that your medical treatments were unnecessary.
If the insurance company only covers a part of what you lost in wages or denies coverage completely, lost wages can become another common source of insurance problems and disputes. Having all of your information organized at the outset of your claim with strong documentation such as estimates, receipts, or medical records, is essential for proving your case and navigating these kinds of challenges.
One of the other most common types of post-accident insurance problems are liability and fault disputes. This may occur if the other party involved in the accident alleges that you were fully or mostly responsible for the accident. California follows comparative fault rules, which means that you may still be eligible to recover compensation if you were partly at fault for the accident. However your damages will be reduced by the percentage of fault you are assigned in the accident. Having an attorney engaged early in this process can help minimize the possibility that the other side claims you are responsible at all but it can certainly be very helpful when they are arguing that you are mostly responsible for the accident and therefore not entitled to as much in terms of damages.
What to Do If You Face Insurance Problems Post-Accident
If your insurance company’s assessment differs from the police report or yours, it may affect who can be held financially responsible for the damages. This can also lead to arguments with the insurance company if their adjusters believe you caused the accident since they may deny the claim or offer less compensation to cover damages. Policy denials and coverage can also happen. In some cases, the insurance company may deny coverage based on allegations of policy violations, such as claiming that the accident may not be covered under the policy at all or alleging that you failed to report the accident promptly.
Furthermore, disagreements can occur based on which services could be provided by your policy, such as towing services, rental cars, or coverage of certain injuries if you have pre-existing conditions. Many car insurance claims can turn into disputes because of issues such as inadequate evidence or documentation, unclear policy language, or the insurance company’s attempt to minimize payouts.
By working with an experienced California personal injury lawyer, you may increase your chances of success. Some of the other things to keep in mind to help bolster your chances of recovering maximum compensation and avoiding any disputes with the insurance company include:
- Documenting everything from the beginning of the process
- Prioritizing your medical care and attending all of your appointments while keeping notes about what happened and who saw you
- Maintaining paper trails of all communication with the insurance company, working with an outside attorney, and possibly even consulting with an independent medical expert or accident reconstruction specialist.
By retaining an attorney early on in the process, you show the insurance company you are taking your case seriously and will fight hard to get the compensation you deserve. You can avoid many common mistakes by hiring an attorney sooner rather than later. Our lawyers have ample experience helping people navigate this process and maximize their compensation. If you have further questions about working with the insurance company and what you should or shouldn’t do after being hurt in an accident, contact our attorneys today.
