Part of an insurance carrier’s business model is to pay out as little money as possible.
After a motor vehicle accident, it’s very common for insurance carriers to either deny your initial insurance claim, offer you a lump sum of money that is less than the value of your total losses, or contact you after your accident to use certain things against you. This is not a surprise. Part of an insurance carrier’s business model is to pay out as little money as possible.
When you get in an accident, it’s important to consult with an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer before speaking with an insurance company, even your own. Your insurance company knows the ins and outs of your policy and may try to deny your claim.
Often, those involved in an accident may agree to sign an insurance release agreement without fully understanding what they are signing.
Sometimes there are clauses in release agreements that are difficult to understand without professional legal help. For example, some releases may require individuals to give a written statement or undergo a medical examination by a doctor of the insurance company’s choosing. It is only later when people learn that certain things in the release are not in their best interest. At that point, it is too late, and they are unable to receive the compensation they truly deserve.
If you’ve been in an accident, don’t correspond with an insurance company without first consulting the team at Mase Mebane Seitz. We will be able to determine whether or not it is in your best interest to deal with the insurance company directly or through legal counsel.
The trial lawyers at Mase Mebane Seitz in Miami know how to hold insurance companies accountable when they mishandle or deny your claim. You may have a separate claim against an insurance company if it acts in “bad faith,” meaning the insurer does not honor the insurance policy or denies your claim for an improper purpose. Bad faith can happen any time an insurance company is involved, including in motor vehicle accident cases, hurricane damage, fire loss and damage, life insurance, and theft. Bad faith can occur by your insurance company or the insurance company of the at-fault driver.
The insurance company might be acting in bad faith if it:
- Denies your insurance claim for an invalid reason.
- Delays the resolution of your insurance claim.
- Uses biased medical examiners, inspectors, or other investigators in order to reach a decision that benefits the insurance company.
- Honors only a portion of the claim that you are entitled to.
- Makes an unreasonable settlement offer.
If you feel like you have been wronged by an insurance company in your car accident case or otherwise, Mase Mebane Seitz will investigate your claim and make sure that you are fully compensated. Once an insurance company sees that skilled trial lawyers are involved, it will usually fully and fairly compensate you to avoid any exposure for bad faith.
If the insurance company does not settle and we prove it acted in bad faith, you are entitled to all of your damages caused by their conduct. These can even include damages that far exceed the policy limits or punitive damages, which are meant to punish the insurance company for their misconduct.
Our trial lawyers are well-versed in both motor vehicle accident law and Florida’s bad faith law and can get you the compensation the insurance company improperly tries to keep from you. Recently, we successfully represented a woman in Broward County, Florida, involved in a car accident after her insurance company denied her uninsured motorist claim. We took her insurance company to trial, and a jury found that she was permanently injured in the crash and that her injuries were caused by the uninsured driver. Her insurance company should have initially covered the claim but refused to do so. Our client’s insurance company settled after trial for more than seven (7) times her policy limits because of their potential bad faith exposure. Click here to read more.
Back to Motor Vehicle Accidents
Back to Motor Vehicle Accidents