If your personal injury claim has been denied, the insurer may not offer a clear reason for their decision. Thankfully, you can appeal the denial and have a chance to overturn the decision. A personal injury attorney can review your claim to know how they can help you secure the compensation you deserve for your damages. You can learn more about your options and rights through a lawyer.
Possible Reasons Your Claim Was Denied
Insurance providers can deny injury claims if they have a reason to do. These reasons include the following:
- Policy exclusions. An insurance company can deny your claim if your injury or accident is excluded from coverage based on the liability insurance policy’s fine print.
- Coverage lapse. A claim denial can occur when the policyholder allows their insurance to lapse or expire and does not renew the policy.
- Failure to follow claims procedures. If you file an injury claim correctly, miss a filing deadline, or make mistakes, the insurer may deny your claim.
But insurance companies may also deny claims due to some questionable reasons:
- Pre-existing injuries or conditions. An accident can make an old injury worse. Also, a pre-existing condition may increase your susceptibility to severe injury. However, this should not stop you from seeking compensation for your current injuries. As long as the injuries resulted from another person’s negligence, you can pursue compensation for them.
- Failure to avoid injury. In Florida, even if you contributed to the accident that led to your injuries, you can still recover compensation based on your percentage of fault. But insurers may try to deny your claim based on this face.
- Treatment delay. Waiting too long to seek medical attention following an accident can give an insurer a reason to deny a claim.
Appealing a Claim Denial
If the insurance company of the at-fault party denied your claim, you can review its reasoning with a skilled lawyer. You should be allowed enough time to appeal the denial and re-file your information. Keep in mind that insurers usually deny claims for spelling errors, a vague statement, or even incorrect dates. Having a lawyer on your side can help you avoid such mistakes and increase your chances of overturning the denial.
Can You Sue the Insurer for a Bad Faith Practice?
If the insurer denied your claim without giving a good reason, speak to your attorney about filing a bad faith insurance lawsuit. Insurance companies may use bad tactics like not investigating claims properly, prolonging negotiations intentionally to delay compensation, and giving less compensation than the worth of a claim.