Insurance Claims

If you have been the victim of a car accident in North Carolina, you may be concerned about how to pay for your injuries. North Carolina law requires the at-fault driver to pay for the medical costs of the injured party. However, some North Carolina drivers do not carry car insurance, or their insurance coverage will not pay for all of your medical costs and fees. Dealing with insurance companies can be extremely time consuming and stressful, especially when your time could be better spent recovering from your injuries.

It is wise to hire experienced Charlotte personal injury attorneys to assist you with your insurance claims. Insurance companies will find any reason to deny your claims legally. They are for-profit companies who continuously seek to make a profit for their shareholders. To give yourself the best chance of receiving fair compensation, you need to make sure you file your claim promptly. It is also beneficial to respond to all requests for information accurately.

At Arnold & Smith PLLC, our attorneys have extensive experience successfully negotiating with insurance companies. Founding attorney Matthew Arnold, Esq. is an experienced car accident attorney. He started his legal career defending insurance companies in car accident cases. This experience gives him a unique, insider perspective on the best ways to advocate for clients. Mr. Arnold and his team have secured many favorable results for clients throughout the Charlotte area.

We know all of the tricks that insurance companies use to deny our clients’ claims. Our skilled attorneys know how to challenge bad-faith insurance claims. Here are several examples of bad faith denials of benefits, any of which could derail your claim from getting the compensation that you deserve.

Willful or unfounded denial of benefits occurs when an insurer refuses to compensate a policyholder when a valid policy exists. Insurers must comply with the terms of the insurance agreement. If the agreement states that benefits are required, the insurance company cannot deny the insurance claim.

Insurance providers must investigate all claims and look for potential coverage. Insurance providers must conduct a comprehensive investigation of all claims. Insurance adjusters cannot merely glance at a claim and determine to deny the claim at first glance. Insurance companies who do not make good faith efforts to decide whether to pay out the claim are in breach of their duties to the insured.

Once an insurance company acknowledges liability to pay a claim, the company must pay out the claim amount on time. If the insurance company delays payment of the settlement or pays out an unjust amount without a reasonable explanation, the company may be in breach of the agreement.

Insurance companies are not required to pay compensation if the applicant engages in fraud when filing the claim. For example, if an applicant creates false documents that support his claim that the other driver was at fault, the insurance company can rightly deny his claim. Before the company can deny his claim, however, it must find clear evidence that the claimant engaged in fraudulent practices.

Insurance companies must make a reasonable attempt to place the needs of the insured party's before the needs of the insurance company. This requires insurance companies to make a reasonable effort to investigate the claim and make a just determination as to whether or not to pay out the claim. Similarly, insurance companies cannot hide behind litigation to avoid payout out an insurance claim. Insurance companies must use litigation as a last resort and not threaten claimants with litigation in an attempt to dissuade them from filing a claim.

At Arnold & Smith PLLC, we can easily spot unjust or illegal practices in which insurance companies engage. We have the experience and skills to fight claim denied by all of the following insurance companies:

• AIG
• American Automobile Insurance Company
• Aetna
• Allstate
• GEICO
• Harford
• ING
• Liberty Mutual
• Metlife
• Prudential
• USAA
• Zurich
• Northwestern
• Farmers

Has your insurance company wrongfully denied your claim? Or, has your insurance company offered you an amount of compensation that is too low? If so, we can help. Convenient locations in Charlotte, Lake Norman and Monroe, contact our law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.