Car accidents are unexpected and cause a lot of stress. Not only do you get frustrated by medical bills but you also get frustrated while filing a car accident claim especially if you are doing it on your own. Insurance companies are not the easiest to deal with, not to mention the huge financial impact a car accident injury can have on you if your claim is not settled quickly.
You might, therefore, be wondering why your claim is taking too long and if your New Bedford car accident lawyer is working hard enough to get your case resolved.
Why is My Car Accident Settlement Taking So Long?
How long your car accident case takes to settle will depend on a lot of factors which we will discuss here. Occasionally, a car accident claim might take a much longer time than anticipated because of unforeseen circumstances.
When you file for a car accident claim, it will either be settled out of court or your case might go to trial. Whichever option you take, it’s possible that your claim might take a long time. Below are some of the factors that might delay your settlement.
Your Case Has Several Problems
You might not be able to prove liability. There are no witnesses or proof about what happened. Additionally, the witnesses might be giving different accounts about what happened or their testimonies contradict your narrative, photos, and videos of the accident scene and/or police reports. The quality of evidence can significantly affect the rate at which your claim is processed.
Your insurer might also reject the evidence presented to them. In such a situation your car accident lawyer in New Bedford might have to file a lawsuit to take the case to trial.
You Haven’t Reached Maximum Medical Improvement
If you haven’t yet reached a point where your injuries cannot worsen or improve, it might be difficult to come up with the full value of your case. Your case could therefore be taking long because your car accident lawyer is waiting to see if you will need additional treatment such as physical therapy or additional surgeries to make a full recovery.
Find out more information about maximum medical improvement.
Your Insurer Has Denied Your Car Accident Claim
Sadly, many car accident claims are denied and the reasons vary from case to case. Below are some of the reasons why your insurer can deny your claim:
You Delayed Medical Treatment
We always stress that you should seek medical attention immediately after a car accident. Not only will your injuries be treated in good time but getting medical attention also proves to the insurer that your injuries exist and proves you sought treatment.
If you do not get treatment immediately your insurer might claim that:
- Your injuries were not a result of the accident
- Your injuries were due to an existing condition
- Your injuries do not exist
- Your injuries were not as severe as you claim
You Did Not Report the Accident on Time or You Caused the Accident on Purpose
Your insurer may deny your claim if they have reason to believe that your actions or inactions contributed to the accident’s occurrence. For instance, if there is evidence that you were drunk driving or overspeeding, the insurer might claim that your coverage is invalid.
Every policy has its rules and it states when a car accident should be reported. If you do not report your car accident within the specified time, your claim might be denied. As a rule of thumb, you should always report an accident as soon as possible.
You are Excluded From the Policy
If you were not using your car and you were not included in the policy, your claim will be denied. Your insurer might also not include you in the policy if you have a bad driving record.
Trust Our New Bedford Car Accident Lawyer to Handle Your Case
Our car accident lawyers at Kevin P Landry Law Offices are knowledgeable, trusted, and experienced. Your case might take much longer than expected because the opposing side could be using delays as a tactic to deny your claim. The good news is that we have over twenty years of experience dealing with insurance companies and we know exactly how to tackle every challenge. We can evaluate your case free of charge and tell you if you have a solid case. Contact us today at 508-999-0800 to schedule your free initial consultation.
