When Insurance Companies Act in Bad Faith After Your Accident

Many insurance companies actively resist approving claims. They do so because they want to minimize the amounts they have to pay out. In cases in which a person is injured in automobile accidents, insurance companies may be especially hard to work with. Personal injury and car crash cases can be more difficult when all of the different versions of what happened are collected by the insurance companies. They will try to use these competing stories to argue that might reduce their insured's negligence level.

Some insurance companies will act in bad faith as the standard way in which they deal with all claims. These companies will either try to force plaintiffs to settle for very low amounts or to go to court. In these types of situations, an experienced personal injury attorney may prove that the insurance companies are acting in bad faith.

Understanding What is Bad Faith

Different insurance companies follow different approaches to how they settle claims. Some of these approaches depend on how large the companies are and how they are managed. When you know what general approach a particular insurance company takes to claims, it can be helpful when you are filing your own claim. For example, if you are dealing with an adjuster who is seemingly unworkable, it may be a tactic that their supervisor ordered them to use. This is one reason that trying to handle your personal injury claim without getting legal help is normally a bad idea.

Insurance Company's View on Causation of a Car Accident

Car Insurance Adjuster Reviewing Damage to Car After an Accident

Car Accidents - Causation

Many people think that when you are involved in a car accident and the opposing insurance company concurs that their insured is responsible for the accident; they will automatically pay. However, they often do not want to pay all the damaged caused by the collision, they would much rather settle for a lesser price. They will use numerous tactics to get out of paying anything at all. One of their common strategies is to take the position that their insured was the one that caused the accident, but the injuries were pre-existing and did not occur during the accident. 

Low Impact Labeling

Take for instance the damage to your car was minor; the insurance company will come back with a label of "low impact" for the accident. Over the past decade, insurance companies are trying harder than ever to fight insurance claims in these minor accidents. To prove their point they will sometimes reference the price to fix the car. If the repairs are between the ranges of $500-$3,000; the accident would be considered to be a low impact collision. Also, the insurance company can also just say the collision is low impact based on the visual aspects of the automobile. If and when they deem an accident with this title, it becomes hard to fight for compensation.

Hit With Sudden Medical Bills After a Car Accident?

Unexpected High Medical Bills After a Car Accident

After even a minor car accident, medical bills can quickly pile up. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report, unpaid medical debt is a problem for 20 percent of Americans.

A spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, Bruce McClary, said, "The stress of this debt is overwhelming to many people. Often, consumers just shut down due to fear and anxiety associated with getting collection letters in the mail."

The American Journal of Medicine published a study in 2009 showing that over 60 percent of all bankruptcies are at least partially related to medical expenses. This is the case, even though the vast majority of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance.

A recent survey by Bankrate.com verified this through their findings, also showing that over 60 percent of Americans are unable to cover unexpected medical expenses, even when costs are as low as $500 or $1000. Despite health insurance, leftover costs are most often not manageable.