Usually, when you’re involved in a car accident, your auto insurance claim is paid. However, there are times when the insurance company denies your claim.
There are a number of reasons why they would do this. The important thing is that you contact a Griffin accident attorney as soon as you receive your letter of denial. A lawyer can evaluate your case and determine if suing the other driver is the right option.
Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit Is Always the Last Resort
If you find out your claim has been denied, you have a few options. Your Griffin accident lawyer can appeal. If that doesn’t work, you always have the option of suing the other driver for damages.
Of course, before your Griffin accident attorney moves forward with legal action, they’ll need to seriously evaluate your claim. Perhaps there is a reason why your claim was denied in the first place.
Your attorney is going to want to make sure you have a chance of prevailing if you file suit. If there isn’t sufficient evidence to show that the other driver was at fault, it may not be wise to file a legal claim.
It’s Preferable to Negotiate Payment of Your Claim with the Insurance Company Directly
Ideally, your Griffin accident lawyer will negotiate a settlement with the insurance company. This is normally what happens. If your claim is small, the insurance company isn’t going to want to spend money to defend it in court.
The same is true if there is ample evidence showing that the defendant was at fault. If the insurance adjuster thinks you were partly at fault, they may be willing to settle for a lesser amount.
Your Griffin Accident Lawyer Work to Settle Your Car Wreck Claim
When you’re the victim in an auto accident, there’s a part of you that wants justice. Of course, justice typically takes the form of compensation. However, it can be expensive to file suit. It can also take a lot of time for your case to go to trial.
Rather than risk going to trial and losing, your Griffin accident attorney will do what they can to settle your claim. If they can resolve the matter without going to court, they’ll do everything in their power to do so.
Most Insurance Claims Are Resolved Without the Need for Legal Action
Some accident victims are surprised to learn that most insurance claims are settled at some point. Many people envision going in front of a judge with a jury of their peers there, anxiously waiting for them to tell their story.
In reality, less than 5% of all accident cases ever make it in front of a judge. And many of these cases don’t involve a jury.
Your Griffin accident lawyer understands that more than 95% of all personal injury cases settle long before trial. This means that there’s a good chance yours will too.
The Insurance Company is Just as Interested in Settling as You Are
Believe it or not, the insurance company is just as eager to settle as you are. They don’t want to spend thousands of dollars defending their client in the event that you sue.
The insurance company also knows that they can save money if they settle. For example, if your claim was for $150,000, the insurance company would much rather settle for $100,000. If they do this, they save $50,000 plus they won’t have to spend money tied up in court.
There Are Times When the Insurance Adjuster Refuses to Pay Your Claim
There are times, however, when, no matter what your Griffin accident attorney says, the insurance company won’t settle. They may be adamant that you were at fault. Or they may have evidence showing that you had a pre-existing condition.
There are other times when the insurance adjuster believes their client caused the crash. However, they believe that, if they stand their ground, they can settle for a lot less money.
Your Griffin Accident Attorney Will Need to See Your Denial Letter
In order to review your case for legal action, your Griffin accident lawyer will need to see your denial letter. If your claim was denied for an administrative reason, it may not be difficult to negotiate payment.
For example, if you didn’t submit a copy of the police report, your attorney can easily take care of that for you. The insurance company isn’t going to want to go to court over something like that.
However, if your claim was denied for a more substantive reason, your Griffin accident attorney will have to weigh the benefits of filing suit.
How Much Was Your Auto Insurance Claim?
Your Griffin accident lawyer will also consider the amount of your claim when considering filing suit. If your claim is only for a few thousand dollars, it may not make sense to sue.
This doesn’t mean your attorney doesn’t think you need the money. However, if it’s going to cost as much to sue as you’d receive from your claim, it may not make sense to pursue legal action.
What Kind of Evidence Is Available to Prove Your Case?
One thing accident victims don’t want to hear is that there isn’t sufficient evidence to prove their claim. When you first sit down with your Griffin accident attorney, they’re going to thoroughly review your claim.
They will need to see what kind of evidence is available to prove your case. For example, what do the witnesses say? Does the police report support the idea that the defendant caused the crash?
If there isn’t sufficient evidence to prove your claim, your attorney will not want to move forward with legal action.
Your Griffin Accident Lawyer Is Familiar with the Insurance Company’s Tendencies
One final thing your Griffin accident lawyer will need to take into account is the insurance company itself. Attorneys are very familiar with the way various insurance companies operate.
When your Griffin accident attorney sees which insurance company your claim is with, they’ll have an idea of how your claim will be handled. Certain insurance companies are more likely to entertain a settlement.
Other insurance companies may be known for taking every claim to trial. If this is the case, you need to be careful about choosing to sue the other driver.
Contact Our Seasoned Griffin Accident Lawyers Today!
Sometimes, the difference between being compensated for your car accident injuries and receiving nothing is simple. If you don’t have an experienced Griffin accident attorney working for you, the insurance company may try to take advantage of you.
The way the insurance adjuster sees things, all they have to do is deny your claim. They assume that you’ll walk away and lick your wounds. However, once they learn that you’ve retained a seasoned personal injury lawyer in the Griffin, GA area, they’ll change the way they look at your claim.
We suggest you contact our office as soon as possible to schedule your free, initial consultation.