You’ve never really understood the meaning of the expression, “To add insult to injury.” Generally speaking, it has everything to do with making a bad situation worse. In your case, the words are absolutely on point. Why in the world did the auto insurance company deny your claim?
In the first place, who said you were ineligible for benefits? Is it your own insurance carrier giving you a hard time? Did you submit your medical bills only to find out that they won’t cover them?
Truth be told, you might want to check the declaration page that came with your policy documents. Could it be that you elected to use your health insurance coverage as primary instead of Personal Injury Protection (PIP)?
Your insurance company may decline to pay your medical bills for other reasons as well. These include the following:
- Policy Expiration
- Work-related car crashes
- Injuries did not occur as a result of “occupying, entering into, alighting from or using” a private passenger automobile
In the meantime, there are other reasons your car insurance company might need to pay out on your policy. For one, there’s the issue of property damage. Additionally, you may need to make a claim because your accident involved an uninsured or underinsured vehicle.
Just because the insurance company doesn’t accept your claim, doesn’t mean that they are correct in doing so. Your best bet? Consult a New Jersey auto accident lawyer to review your policy and the circumstances of your accident.
Claim Denial by At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company
The insurance company for the driver who caused your accident contacts you. The adjuster sounds very nice – so you agree to give a statement. Yes, you have no problem with a recorded interview.
As an afterthought, you think about it. Should you have spoken to the adjuster without consulting with an attorney first? Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea.
Weeks later, you receive a letter from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. They are denying your claim as their investigation has determined that their insured was not responsible for the car crash.
Your heart sinks. Investigation? You think back to the conversation you had with the insurance adjuster and can’t help but wonder how much your own words worked against you.
Once again, it’s not too late to meet with an experienced auto accident attorney and request legal advice. Believe it or not, even if you were partly responsible for the car crash, you may be able to recoup benefits.
Meanwhile, the responsible party’s insurance company may dispute the extent of your injuries. Depending on the selections you made on your own policy, you may be faced with limitations concerning your right to non-economic recovery.
As the list goes on, one thing becomes clear. You really could benefit from meeting with a personal injury attorney. There’s no reason to allow the insurance company to deny your claim – or offer you a less than acceptable settlement.
