When an accident occurs, the last thing you need is your insurance company failing to uphold its obligations. Unfortunately, insurance providers sometimes wrongfully deny claims from injured parties seeking compensation under your policy. This bad faith behavior not only prevents victims from receiving the support they deserve but can also leave you personally exposed to financial liability for damages that should be covered by your policy.
Dominguez Law understands how frustrating and concerning these situations can be for policyholders. If your insurance company has acted in bad faith by denying a legitimate third-party claim, our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you take action. We can guide you through the process of filing a third-party bad faith claim against your provider, protecting both your financial interests and ensuring the injured party receives the compensation they deserve.
What is Third-Party Bad Faith?
You purchased insurance to protect yourself from the cost of taking care of someone after a serious accident. You make regular payments and should, in case of an accident, benefit from your insurance company’s support. You should feel confident giving an injured party your insurance information, as your provider should offer them support based on your coverage.
What can you do if that third party reaches out to you and tells you that your insurance company has denied their request for support? If you can prove that a company’s denial came from a place of bias or greed, you can file a third-party bad faith claim against your insurer.
In these instances, you and your insurance company make up two parties in a contract with an accident victim, making up the “third party.” You must have the evidence to point to specific instances of unreasonable behavior if you want your claim to move forward. Fortunately, you can work with an attorney to highlight behaviors like the following:
- An insurance company’s unreasonable processing delays after an injured party files a claim
- An insurance company’s attempts to inappropriately represent your coverage to deny an injured party financial support
- An insurance company’s refusal to pay an injured party damages that fairly address their losses
- An insurance company’s failure or refusal to investigate a claim
- An insurance company’s failure to defend against a lawsuit if an injury party sues you for damages
If you think you and an accident victim may both be victims of greater mistreatment from your insurer, you can book a free case consultation with an experienced attorney.
What is a First-Party Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
You may also have the right to pursue a first-party bad faith insurance claim after a serious accident. You have the right to pursue these types of claims if an insurance company compromises your ability to recover from a serious accident. Examples of the bad faith behaviors that may entitle you to a first-party bad faith claim include the following:
- Claim denials for no reason or for reasons that are purposefully obscured
- Refusing to conduct an investigation into the negligence that caused your recent accident
- Providing a settlement offer that significantly undervalues the losses sustained in a recent accident
- Refusing to communicate about a claim or policy
- Purposefully stalling or limiting settlement negotiations
- Failing to pay a settlement after reaching an agreement about a claimant’s right to recover
Insurance companies do not benefit from a blanket immunity to engage in inappropriate or bad faith behaviors just to save themselves a buck. You can work with an attorney to hold a provider accountable if you are struggling to secure the financial support you need to recover from an accident.
When Should You Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer?
We recommend you contact a personal injury lawyer shortly after a devastating accident, even if you think you may be more to blame for the collision than other parties involved in said accident.
An attorney can make recommendations as to how you should recover from your accident. You can also count on an attorney to manage your conversations with an insurance claims adjuster and other parties, thereby limiting a provider’s opportunities to act in bad faith.
We Offer Free Case Consultations After Serious Accidents
Insurance companies have an obligation to uphold your insurance policy, especially after serious accidents. Unfortunately, insurance companies want to save as much money as they can, often to the detriment of their clients. If you find yourself the victim of an insurance company’s bad-faith tactics, do not worry. There’s legal recourse available to you.
You can work with an experienced personal injury lawyer from Dominguez Law to file a third-party bad faith insurance claim against your provider if that provider denies an accident victim the support they deserve. We offer Spanish-speaking services and are ready to guide you through every step of your claim.
You can contact our team online or call (505) 850-5854 to learn more about the claim filing process. Your accident assessment comes free of charge and does not lock you into legal action.
