Accident Claim Ignored by the Defendant's Insurer? Here's What You Should Know Now

If you were in a terrible auto accident and filed an accident claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company, you may expect the insurance company to settle your claim quickly and without too many issues. But if the insurer refuses to acknowledge or even look at your claim, you may not know what to do or who to turn to for help. One of the most important things you might do now is hire a personal-injury attorney to represent your case. An attorney can communicate with the insurer on your behalf and obtain the settlement you need. Here are more things to know about your case and what you can do when the insurance company ignores your claim.

Can the Insurance Company Really Ignore Your Claim?

While it doesn't happen with every insurance provider, some insurance companies will stall, ignore, or even bury the claims of the people their clients' injure to avoid making or paying a settlement. Most of these issues develop when claimants try to negotiate a settlement with the other drivers' insurance adjuster instead of hiring an attorney to represent them. If this is the case with you, you may be making a big mistake in handling your claim alone. 

Although some insurance adjusters may appear friendly and sympathetic to your cause, they may actually be against you. One of the reasons for this is money. The at-fault driver's insurer may not want to pay the full amount of money for your medical expenses, car repairs, and lost time from work.

The adjuster may discourage you or hinder your claim as long as possible to avoid a reasonable payout. Some adjusters even mislead accident victims by telling them one thing and doing another. For instance, the adjuster may tell you that your claim is almost completed and it won't take long to settle. In reality, the adjuster placed your file at the bottom of their priorities. The adjust may also flat-out ignore your claim because they don't think it's worth settling. The adjuster may think that if they ignore your claim or mislead you, you may eventually give up. Don't do this. Giving up on your claim may delay payment for the medical treatments you need to get well now and in the future.

If you already sought medical care for your injuries, you may not have the ability to pay for the expenses later. Depending on the extent and severity of your injuries, you may need ongoing medical care, such as physical therapy and rehabilitation services, to improve your health. If your injuries are permanent, the loss of funds and medical care may devastate you financially.

To protect your health and settlement, seek legal help now.

What Can You Do to Settle Your Claim?

A personal-injury lawyer can do a number of things to assist you with your delayed and ignored claim, including threatening to take your case to court if necessary. If the insurance company doesn't want to risk losing the case in court, they may choose to negotiate a fair settlement with an attorney. Because the negotiation process can take some time to complete, it's important that you allow an attorney sufficient time to do so.

Until your case settles, avoid any contact with the other driver's adjuster. This includes not taking any phone calls from the adjuster or answering any mail they send to your home. You don't want to accidentally sign any paperwork that contains a written settlement agreement, nor do you want to verbally agree to any oral settlement offers provided by the adjuster or their employer. The agreements may be legally binding in court, which can damage your chances of getting the money and medical care you need for your injuries. 

If you want to learn more about your specific case, contact a personal-injury attorney, such as one at Spesia & Ayers Attorneys At Law, today.