In Maryland, as in most other states, drivers are required to carry auto insurance. This way, if you get into a car wreck and somebody gets hurt, their medical care will be covered. Auto insurance is also intended to cover any other damages caused by the accident. You don’t have an option – you must carry insurance coverage if you plan to drive in the state.

Auto accident lawyers in Baltimore run into cases every year where the defendant didn’t have insurance. It can make things quite complicated. What can also make your car accident case complicated is when the insurance company denies your auto insurance claim.

You pay your premiums for years, maybe even decades. The last thing you expect is to have your auto insurance claim rejected. Personal injury lawyers in Baltimore do see cases like this more often. There are various reasons why it can happen. Usually, it comes down to a few different things. The insurance company will do whatever it can to avoid paying out claims, especially if they are large.

Here, we’ll talk about the various reasons why your auto insurance claim could be denied by the insurance company. We’ll also talk about what you can do if this happens to you.

Your Auto Accident Lawyer in Baltimore Will Find Out Why It Was Denied

One of the things your auto accident lawyer in Baltimore will do is find out exactly why your auto insurance claim was denied. The insurance adjuster may be ignoring your calls and emails. If that’s the case, don’t feel bad. That’s how they treat most people who aren’t represented by an attorney.

Once they learn that you’ve retained a seasoned personal injury lawyer in Baltimore, they’ll change their tune. They’ll send a copy of the denial letter to your lawyer. They’ll also explain why they arrived at the decision they did. In turn, your attorney will file an appeal on your behalf.

Some of the Common Reasons Why an Auto Insurance Claim Could Be Denied

There are a host of reasons why your auto insurance claim could be denied. Obviously, your auto insurance claim will be denied if you let it lapse for non-payment. The same is true if you had canceled the policy for some reason. However, even if the policy is valid, there are still reasons why the insurance adjuster would deny your claim.

The more common reasons for denial of an auto insurance claim include the following:

  • They believe you caused the accident
  • The insurance adjuster thinks you’re exaggerating your injuries
  • You have a history of filing accident claims
  • You didn’t report the accident in time
  • The other driver has also filed a claim saying that you were at fault
  • There is evidence showing you may be at fault
  • The auto insurance claim is large, and they’d rather take their chances in court

Regardless of the reason, your auto accident lawyer in Baltimore will fight to get your auto insurance claim paid. They have years of experience dealing with insurance adjusters. They’ve gone up against the giant insurance companies and have won. They’re not intimidated. They’ll also make sure the insurance adjuster doesn’t take advantage of you and try to get you to accept a low settlement.

auto accident lawyers in Baltimore

What Are the Chances Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Baltimore Will Settle the Case?

One thing a lot of our clients ask us is what will happen if the insurance company refuses to pay. Just because you file an appeal doesn’t mean they’ll change their mind. They may honestly think you caused the crash. Or the claim is so large, they would much rather take their chances.

Sometimes, the insurance company denies your auto insurance claim knowing your auto accident lawyer in Baltimore intends on negotiating a lower settlement down the road. The money they’re going to spend defending the auto insurance claim isn’t all that much. Most big insurance companies have their own internal team of lawyers. Other than court fees and ancillary costs, there’s no reason they wouldn’t fight it.

Are There Any Benefits to Settling Your Car Accident Claim?

One thing about settling your car accident lawsuit is that you get less than your full demand. This bothers some people. They don’t understand why they should accept less when they can get the whole thing in court.

The truth is that nobody wants to go to trial. Trials aren’t anybody’s friend – especially plaintiffs. Anything can happen at trial. You risk losing if you go to court. If you lose, you walk away with nothing. So does your attorney.

There are other important benefits to settling that you should consider:

  • Trials are expensive. Your auto accident lawyer in Baltimore will have to pay for things like expert witnesses and court reporters. They’ll also have to spend money on court fees for things like motion hearings and discovery.
  • Trials can take forever. You could wait longer than a year for your case to go to court. In fact, many of the civil courts in Maryland are still backed up thanks to COVID-19. You may wait quite some time to go to trial.
  • There’s no guarantee that you’ll win. For all you know, the judge or jury may side with the defendant. Best case, they may decide that you were partly at fault. If this happens, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. If your damages were $200,000 and you’re found to be 30% at fault, your damages will be reduced to just $140,000.
  • You may never see a dime. Even if you win in court and get a judgment, that means very little. You can’t force the defendant to pay you. Neither can the judge. For all you know, the defendant’s insurance company may go bankrupt or close its doors. If this happens, you’ll have a judgment that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

As you can see, the idea of going to trial holds little appeal for anyone, even the insurance company.

Reach Out to an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Baltimore Today

If you’re injured in a car accident, you’ll have to submit an auto insurance claim to the defendant’s insurance company. It’s up to them as to whether they want to approve it or not. Rather than risk becoming overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to call and schedule your free, initial consultation. Let one of our skilled auto accident lawyers in Baltimore help.

Since the consultation is free, you really don’t have anything to lose. Having a personal injury lawyer in Baltimore will not only help you win your case, but it will also make the insurance company stand up and take notice.

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