One of the most complicated and difficult aspects of a personal injury lawsuit or claim can sometimes be dealing with the insurance company involved in the case. Every single personal injury case involves working with an insurance company at one point or another. When pursing damages after a car accident, the victim will need to either file a claim against his insurance policy or the insurance policy of the at-fault driver.
Individuals who are victims of slip and fall accidents, dog attacks or other types of premises liability accidents will all have their claims reviewed by the insurance company providing coverage for the individual or business responsible for causing their injuries. Before filing a claim or lawsuit, there are certain things you should know about insurance companies. The first is that insurance companies are in the business of providing "hope" to their policyholders.
They are not in the business of making money by paying out on claims. Insurance is not a tangible product that you can see and touch. An insurance policy is a contractual agreement between an insurance provider and a policyholder. The next thing is that insurance companies are usually very meticulous when reviewing claims against policies they hold. If they can find a loophole or reason for the claim to not be paid, they will do so.
In some instances, insurance companies will be quick to offer settlements to those who have sustained injuries covered under the policy of one of their policyholders. This may seem as if it is a good thing, but it is not. The initial settlement offered by an insurance company will likely be very low and completely insufficient to cover the victim's current and future accident-related expenses.
These types of settlements are offered in the hopes the victim will accept and the insurance company will not be required to either pay out the true value of the claim or have to defend their actions in court. Delaying payment on a valid claim, denying coverage, failing to promptly investigate a claim, advising a policyholder he or she should not retain legal counsel and similar actions are all examples of bad faith insurance practices.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, hiring a San Jose personal injury attorney will greatly improve your chances of recovering the maximum compensation you may be eligible to receive. Insurance companies often act much differently when they learn a claimant has hired legal counsel. Our lead attorney has received a BV Distinguished® Rating on Martindale-Hubbell® and has played an intrinsic role in recovering millions of dollars on behalf of our clients over the years.
Call The Law Offices of Caroline J. Nasseri immediately so that we can assess your case and advise you on how to move forward with your lawsuit or claim.