BySuffering from an injury as a result of another individual’s negligence can put you in a tough spot. If the injury is severe, you’ll need to arrange the necessary funds as soon as possible. But even if you’re insured, you might still have some trouble getting the settlement you need from your insurance company. Sometimes, they might undervalue the settlement that you’re looking for, and other times, they might deny it outright.
A situation like this can be tricky to navigate, especially if you don’t have the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer. However, a good place to start is by understanding some common reasons why your injury claim was denied.
Common Reasons Why Personal Injury Claim Was Denied
When applying for a settlement with your insurance provider, you might find out that they’ve denied your injury claim. Despite entering all of the relevant details, they’re not accepting your settlement, and they’re not giving you a proper reason for why that’s the case. Here are a few common reasons why an insurer will deny your personal injury claim.
Significant Delay In Medical Treatment
This is a tricky one since a number of reasons could lead to you delaying treatment for injuries. However, according to the insurer, if an applicant has waited too long between the accident and the medical treatment, they can conclude that the injuries were not that serious. In other cases, they might think that the claimant didn’t actually receive any injuries during the accident. Instead, they are looking to treat injuries after the incident.
To avoid this situation, you should not only file on time, but you should also get treatment for your injuries as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to run into this problem.
A Dispute In Liability
The claims process usually includes the insurance company doing an investigation themselves to see who is at fault in an accident. If they conclude that you are at fault for the accident or share some responsibility, they can deny your claim.
Shared responsibility exists in some states, and looks to more fairly analyze an accident. If both parties share the blame for the accident, the court will calculate the responsibility of each party. Even if you have very little responsibility in an accident, it is likely that the insurer will not accept your claim.
Expired Statute of Limitations
Another common reason why you are likely to not receive compensation for your medical treatment is because the statute of limitations has expired. Any good personal injury lawy can tell you that it is essential to file your insurance claim and get compensation before the statute expires. When that happens, you can’t pursue compensation through the court.
Insufficient Evidence for the Origin of the Injury
Another important reason why your claim has likely been denied is because there is insufficient evidence as to the origin of your injury. Or in some cases, the investigation by the insurers leads them to belive that the injuries were a reult of a prior incident or accident. In either of these situations, the insurer is likely to deny your claim or undervalue it.
If you consul an injury attorney, they will tell you that you should be careful and match your injuries with the medical report. When insurers look into a case, they will cross examine the police and medical reports. If they see that your statements are contradicting these two reports, they will deny your claim.
Your Insurance Policy Was Not In Effect
This is especially common when individuals switch jobs and have to change to a different service provider. If an accident happens during this transfer, they can usually feel like they are stuck in limbo. The policy from the previous job just ended, and the new policy at their new workplace has not come into effect yet. In both of these circumstances, neither insurance provider will accept the claim since the accident happened before the policy was active. If you talk to a qualified personal injury lawyer, they will help you stay updated on when insurance coverage ends or when it begins.
The Policy Doesn’t Cover Your Treatment
Finally, the most common reason why your personal injury claim has not been accepted is because the policy doesn’t cover your treatment or type of accident. If the accident you were in isn’t part of their coverage, they can deny your claim without further inquiry. On the other hand, if the treatment you’re looking for exceeds the maximum coverage of the policy, you will not get the settlement that you have requested. Avoiding a situation like this requires you to go through the fine print of a policy, preferably with a personal injury attorney, and see if they are offering ample coverage.
Get Better Representation from an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
Along with the reasons mentioned above, it is likely that your insurance provider will deny your claim if you do not follow the procedure or do not file the proper paperwork. By working with a professional personal injury lawyer, you can avoid these issues and possibly come up with a better settlement. It is important to understand that insurance providers heavily scrutinise every aspect of your claim and can deny it over the smallest discrepancies. However, an injury attorney who knows the ropes can help you draft a claim that not only meets all of their requirements but can also get you the settlement you want.
Furthermore, it is also likely that an insurance provider will undervalue your claims by downplaying the severity of injuries or depreciating assets. If that is the case, then a personal injury lawyer can also help you negotiate a better settlement.
Getting the Settlement that You Deserve
Inusrance service providers will often provide a variety of reasons for undervaluign yoru claim or denying it outright. While you might think that the only solution to this is an injury lawsuit, you can instead ask an injury attorney to help you negotiate a better offer.
