When you are working with an insurance company to reach the best solution in your West Virginia car accident case, you might find that one of two things can happen: The insurer will work in good faith and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve, or the insurer will work in bad faith and you might be left with little in the way of options as you work toward recovery. Unfortunately, many people are injured every year and wonder where they will turn during this difficult time when their insurance company isn’t working on their side.
When an Insurance Company is “Just Pretending” 
Insurance companies work in bad faith for nearly thousands of cases every year, which means that you might fall victim. There are many ways this occurs, with one of the most popular being a company who pretends to work for your best interests. An insurance company might imply that they are doing everything that they can to recover for you when really, they are just attempting to gain the trust of accident victims so that they can take advantage of them.
One of the most popular ways that this is done is when insurance adjusters act as if they are on your side and as if they are ‘looking into’ your documentation or working toward helping you gain results, but in all reality, they might just be pushing your case forward to the point where the statute of limitations expires. This way, they won’t be responsible for paying your claim as they originally said they would.
Insurance companies are commonly denying and devaluing cases even though they promise to protect your rights at all costs, which can put individuals in very desperate situations. Here are just a few of the very popular ways that insurance companies act in bad faith every year:
- Denying payment even though the claim is valid
- Discounting your payment even though they have no reason to do so
- Delaying your payment for no reason
- Failing to let you know that your claim has been denied within a reasonable frame of time
- Using threatening or abusive tactics
- Ignoring your telephone calls
- Misrepresenting policy language
Options You Have
If you have a difference in opinion with your insurance adjuster, this doesn’t mean that they have acted in bad faith. Being unhappy with the results doesn’t always mean that the insurance company didn’t do everything possible to help you move forward with your claim. But, if one of the previous reasons applies to your case and you still believe that bad faith has occurred, you have to know that you have options on your side.
It is important to be clear and precise with your insurance adjuster and let them know that you do not believe your claim is being treated fairly. You should have the help of your attorney on your side as you write a bad faith letter to your insurance company so that you have a written accusation on file and you can get started on the process of proving these aspects. The insurance company might be liable for any damages and repaying you if you have been involved in one of these accidents.
If you have been involved in an accident and you believe that the insurance adjuster is not working on your side, you need the experienced help of a West Virginia accident lawyer on your side. At Katz Kantor Stonestreet & Buckner, we want to stand by your side as you work to recover the compensation you deserve during this difficult time. Contact us today for more information on how we can assist you at (304) 713-2014.
Note: This post was created with the help of secondary sources operating independently from Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner Law Firm. The information used from these sources has not been independently confirmed by our staff. If anything included in these posts is incorrect, please inform us and we will promptly correct the post.
Disclaimer: Our intent with these posts is to honor the victims of these terrible accidents and inform the public about how to avoid these accidents and what to do in the event of one. This information should not be considered legal or medical advice.