While we always recommended that you at least consult with a car accident lawyer after engaging in a wreck in Daytona Beach, retaining legal counsel isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, cases can be easily resolved after obtaining legal advice from one of our reputable lawyers while other times, retaining a legal expert is a must. In this article, we are going to outline for you five signs that indicate you need to hire an experienced Daytona Beach, FL accident attorney after having been involved in a crash.
The insurance company has denied your claim or undervalued it despite you having adequate coverage.
Insurance companies don’t exactly like to pay claims, especially large ones which is why some deny them or significantly reduce the amount of them. Can they do this? Sure, if they can provide you with convincing evidence for their decision. Does that mean you aren’t entitled to more? No. In most cases, claimants are often entitled to much more than what the insurance company has offered. However, because most drivers aren’t aware of their rights and what their damages are worth, they allow the company to undervalue their claim by accepting the amount that has been offered.
Therefore, if your accident claim was denied or if the adjuster has expressed that you cannot recover any more than the amount that has been offered, it’s time you contact Pappas and Russell, P.A. to speak with one of our trusted car accident attorneys for legal help. Once an insurer knows you retained an attorney and are serious about your claim, they may be more willing to work with you to get the issue resolved.
What if the insurer is taking too long to process my claim? Do I need to hire an accident lawyer for this?
It definitely cannot hurt to contact Pappas and Russell, P.A. to discuss this with one of our skilled Daytona Beach, FL car accident lawyers. In some cases, you may need a lawyer to step in, but it is important for you to understand what Florida law says insurers can and cannot do. For instance, the Florida Department of Financial Services states that while insurers are not subjected to timeline requirements for providing a claimant with a settlement or payment of an auto claim, “the company is responsible for the proper and timely investigation of a claim.”
Now, insurers are required to notify you in writing within 30 days after receiving your completed proof-of-loss form whether your claim has been denied or if it needs further investigating. If your claim is denied, the company must provide you with an explanation as to why. If you are filing a claim with another driver’s insurance carrier (i.e. a third-party claim), that driver’s insurer does hold the right to conduct an investigation on behalf of their policyholder.
During the investigation process, the insurer will have the opportunity to speak with their insured to gather details regarding the accident as well as get their side of the story. At the conclusion of the investigation, the insurer will determine whether or not it will accept liability for the crash.
Important: If the other driver who was involved in the accident with you received a citation, that doesn’t mean their insurer will assume they were at fault for the accident, says the Florida Department of Financial Services. In the event the other driver’s insurer denied your claim yet you know they were responsible for the wreck, again, you should consider seeking legal assistance from one of our attorneys.
You suffered a catastrophic injury such as a spinal cord injury or a traumatic brain injury.
Cases that involve severe or catastrophic injuries are often more complex as the victim is generally entitled to more money. These cases sometimes need to go through the court system in order for a victim to recover the maximum amount of compensation they are due and can take months or even years to settle. If you suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, a severe fracture, etc., in an auto accident, it is imperative that you retain legal counsel right away.
You are being blamed for the accident when it is evident the other driver caused it.
If the other driver is claiming you caused the accident, this could result in a dispute arising as well as your insurance claim being denied. And as we mentioned above, anytime a carrier denies a claim, it is always recommended that they hire an attorney.
The other driver was uninsured or underinsured.
Many drivers in the State of Florida are not properly insured. If you are involved in an accident with one, it can be difficult to recover the amount of money you are entitled to. While you do have the option of filing a claim with your insurance carrier, you may be required to satisfy any deductibles you have on the policy, which many would prefer not to do, especially when they were not at fault for the collision. Now, there may be other avenues you can take to get the money you are due. To find out what these are, contact Pappas and Russell, P.A. and we’d be happy to explain to you what these are.
You were involved in an accident with a commercial truck or bus.
Cases involving commercial trucks and buses usually involve several parties which makes them much more complicated. It is for this reason that we recommend you contact one of our lawyers before attempting to handle this type of case on your own as we wouldn’t want you to jeopardize your chances of obtaining the compensation you need to cover things like medical bills (both past and future), lost wages, etc.
Do you think your case would benefit from hiring a car accident attorney in Daytona Beach, FL?
If you answered yes, then our accident law firm located in Daytona Beach, FL is ready to provide you with the legal assistance you need. Give us a call at 386-254-2941 to schedule an initial consultation and find out how our reputable lawyers can help you get through this difficult time.
Pappas and Russell, P.A. is located at:
213 Silver Beach Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
Phone: 386-254-2941
Website: www.pappasrussell.com
