If State Farm denied your car accident claim, you may qualify to appeal that decision, depending on why they denied your claim. Many people have their claims denied on minor technicalities, such as having insufficient information or errors on their applications. So, don’t rush to the assumption that an insurance claim denial means the end of your pursuit of compensation.
You can seek the aid of a legal team who helps car accident victims file insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits. They can fight for the financial compensation you need to recover from your damages. If your claim was denied, you can work with a car accident attorney, many of whom can review your case for free to get started.
Common Reasons State Farm Denies Car Accident Claims
If you decide to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent your case, they’ll first identify why your insurance claim was denied by State Farm. Some common reasons for claim denials include:
- Insufficient evidence or information: The burden of proof falls on the injured party. State Farm might deny your claim if it believes you have insufficient evidence to prove how the car accident occurred or the severity of your damages. You may need to include evidence like accident scene photographs or videos, medical records, and eyewitness testimony.
- Lapsed coverage: If you missed a payment on your insurance policy or canceled it before your car accident occurs, State Farm may deny your claim on this basis. If you believe a lapse in payment is false or done in error, our legal team may help you appeal your claim to resolve this issue.
- Policy limitations exclude damages you’re claiming: Your insurance policy may provide coverage in specific situations, so your legal team will need to read your policy to determine whether you still have grounds to demand more compensation. In some car accident cases, you may require purchasing additional policies to receive coverage, such as uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
Other reasons for why some claims get denied can involve deductibles and filing deadlines, which your legal team may be able to dispute depending on the circumstances of your case. For example, if you missed the filing deadline to submit your claim to State Farm because you were still physically recovering from your injuries, they may appeal your claim and provide evidence that you were not capable of filing a claim within the window period.
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(855) 529-0269Working With a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Insurance Tactics
Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, meaning they have the incentive to deny claims to keep profits high—not offer coverage and risk cutting profits every month. However, insurance companies like State Farm must act in “good faith” to keep within federal regulations. There are tactics that insurers use to prolong the claims process, such as:
- Denying your claim on minor errors in the paperwork, such as a misspelling in your home address or name
- Refusing to investigate your car accident and claiming you had insufficient evidence in your claim to warrant one
- Waiting the maximum amount of time before responding to your claim and/or messages
- Failing to provide a clear explanation on why your claim was denied so that you may fix the errors and appeal your case
- Failing to inform you of additional information you need to include in your claim, which may lead to multiple denials
Your legal team should recognize these tactics and step in to intervene if they suspect your rights are being infringed upon. If necessary, they may use the threat of a lawsuit as leverage so that State Farm cooperates fairly.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Build Your Case
If you decide to work with a car accident lawyer, they often offer to do the following services:
- Review your State Farm insurance claim and policy to see how much compensation you may be able to pursue
- Investigate your car accident to collect information and evidence to support your claim when appealing it
- Handle communications with the insurance adjusters, especially if they notice delays or vague responses about your case
- Negotiate a potential settlement deal if possible, which may help you avoid having to go to trial
- Prepare your case for trial if necessary and give you updates about your case as it goes through litigation
Your legal team could also counsel you on whether you should consider moving forward with a personal injury lawsuit. This might happen if your policy limits do not meet the value of your damages, in which case it may be in your interest to take your case to court to pursue a higher reward.
Keep Mindful of the Statute of Limitations After a Car Accident
If you decide to file a car accident lawsuit, you must do so within the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is a deadline that typically starts on the date of the accident. For example, you generally have two years from the date of the car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under Florida Statutes § 95.11. This statutory deadline is crucial if you want to take your case to civil court. However, it is also necessary to keep State Farm in line before even going to trial.
Failure to file your lawsuit on time could absolve State Farm from having to cover your damages at all, which could lead the company to deny your claim without any additional opportunity for you to appeal your case. This would force you to pay for your damages out of your pocket. This error can jeopardize your case, but your team can take appropriate steps to ensure your case remains valid.
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If State Farm denied your car accident claim, you might still be able to appeal this decision and continue your pursuit of compensation. A personal injury lawyer from Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can review your claim, then develop a legal strategy to move your case forward.
Our law firm has been helping accident victims like you since 2003. Call now to speak with a member of our team and learn more about how we can help you fight a denial decision on your State Farm car accident claim. We offer the first consultation for free and work on a contingency fee basis, so we don’t collect our attorney’s fees unless we win your case.
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