Imagine if you were involved in a car accident in which the other driver was drunk. Not only was your car wrecked from the collision, but you also sustained injuries that need medical attention.
After the accident, you may have done everything right: reporting to the authorities, contacting a personal injury lawyer that specializes in drunk driving accidents in Denver, and filing an insurance claim against the at-fault driver. However, you might receive the news that your insurance claim has been denied, meaning you won’t get any additional financial help to offset your medical bills and other expenses.
Some people may simply accept this decision and let it go, but if you pursue the claim, you might find that there is something you could still do to recover compensation. Let’s discuss here the common reasons insurance companies deny car accident claims and what you can do about them.
Why Insurance Companies Deny Car Accident Claims
Before we discuss the reasons, you must first understand how insurance companies operate. They are like any other business: they want to ensure continuous cash flow. This means the amount they bring in from insurance premiums must exceed what they pay out for insurance claims. So, they will find even the smallest reason not to approve your claim. These are some of the possible reasons:
1. The accident was preventable
Insurers may deny your claim if the cause of the car accident was avoidable, but you did not take any measures to prevent it. They may also claim that you did something to help cause the accident, prompting them to deny your claim.
2. Delayed medical care
If you’re involved in a minor car accident, you may not seek further medical attention right away apart from the cursory one done on-site because you think you’re not hurt much. However, you may be injured internally, with symptoms only appearing later, prompting you to seek delayed medical care. Insurers may deny your claim on this basis, citing your delayed medical care as the reason your condition worsened, which they would say is your fault. They may also claim that the accident did not directly cause your injury.
3. The damages exceed the insurance coverage
The compensation you can receive from an insurance claim is dictated by the amount of coverage the other driver paid. Serious car accidents result in costly damages, and if the amount exceeds that of the other person’s coverage, the insurer might deny your claim.
4. You were driving illegally
If you were driving in a way that violated state laws when you were involved in a collision with another vehicle, it’s a basis for insurers to deny your claim. Driving drunk, driving without insurance, and driving without a valid license are violations of the law and are legitimate reasons for insurers to deny your claim.
The best way to avoid dispute in insurance claims is to gather as much evidence and information about the accident as possible and to act immediately. Precise supporting details are much harder to invalidate, so your insurance claim is more likely to get approved. And when all else fails, or even when you’re still starting the process, the guidance of a lawyer will be a big help.
