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After being involved in a car accident, one of the first things an auto accident lawyer in Tampa, FL at Jeff Murphy Law suggests doing is contacting your insurance company to file report. However, we advise clients to be wary with their insurance agency during this time. Always keep in mind that while an agent may personally want to give you all the money in the world to overcome the accident, they may be more motivated to save the insurance company money since they are a professional representative.
Unfortunately, all too often victims of car accidents get tricked in the following ways by their own insurance company:
They Don’t Get What They Deserve in a Settlement
It may be disappointing to realize that your insurance company is all about supporting you, up until you really need them due to an accident. Your insurance company may offer you a settlement that is significantly lower than what your claim is truly worth. And because the average person doesn’t understand the inner workings of insurance, they may accept the money without knowing they deserve more.
This is why we urge victims of car accidents to not accept a settlement until they have chatted with a Tampa auto accident lawyer. We can help you decide whether the settlement can cover all your past, current, and future expenses related to the accident.
The Company Makes You Believe Hiring an Attorney is a Waste of Time
A Tampa auto accident lawyer can investigate further into the accident and your insurance coverage, to see if any influential facts or contract terms can be revealed. Your insurance company may want you to think that hiring an attorney is a waste of time and money. But in some cases, getting a professional legal opinion could be the one decision that changes everything. By consulting with a legal professional, it could open a window of information about what you deserve for the car accident despite what your insurance company wants you to believe.
That You Can’t Do Anything About a Claim Denial
Regardless of what your insurance company says, chances are you can probably fight a claim denial. Your insurance agency must act with good faith and be reasonable when evaluating your claim. An insurance company may deny your claim immediately if the losses are insurmountable, just to see if they can avoid paying you a settlement. They may be hoping that you simply accept this judgement and assume that is the final answer. But with help from a Tampa, FL auto accident lawyer it may be possible to fight against this denial and get you a financial award you need to get back on your feet financially and physically.
Don’t let your insurance company control the narrative when it comes to handling your car accident claim. Please reach out to an auto accident lawyer in Tampa, FL from Jeff Murphy Law about a free initial consultation, so we can begin fighting for your behalf.
What if My Behavior Contributed to the Cause of the Accident?
Insurance companies often lead accident victims to believe that if their behavior, in any way, contributed to the cause of an accident, that they aren’t entitled to receive compensation for the injuries and property damage they’ve suffered. This is a broad generalization that can’t be trusted on-face until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Why? Because even if you were partially at-fault for the collision that caused your injuries and property damage, you may still be entitled to a settlement from one or more insurers handling claims related to the accident. Similarly, you may be entitled to sue for damages under Florida law.
How Can I File a Claim if I’m Partially to Blame?
Different states handle the issue of complex liability determinations in accident scenarios in their own ways. However, the general rule is that you can only be held responsible to the extent that you contributed to the harm caused by an accident. Say, for example, that you got into an accident while you were turning the radio station. You instantly feel guilt in the pit of your stomach because you know that you took your eyes off the road for a second to change the channel. However, what you don’t know, is that the other driver involved in the accident was both legally intoxicated and texting at the time of the accident. You may be held five percent liable for your contribution to the accident, while the other driver remains 95 percent liable. Your compensation rate will therefore be reduced by only five percent, in comparison to what you would have received had you been totally blameless.
Our firm can help to clarify just how responsible (if at all) you were for the harm caused by your accident. Until we do, don’t admit blame to anyone at all, as doing so could be an unintentionally uninformed statement and could compromise the strength of your case.
Experienced Legal Assistance Is Available
If you’ve been involved in an accident and you believe you may have been partially responsible for the collision, please connect with the experienced Florida legal team at Jeff Murphy Law today. You likely don’t have all the facts at your disposal and therefore can’t make a truly informed decision about how to proceed – yet. Our firm can help to investigate the circumstances of your crash so that you can decide whether you want us to negotiate with the insurance companies handling claims related to the collision and/or file a personal injury suit on your behalf. Please don’t assume that because you may have been partially at-fault that you aren’t entitled to compensation or that you have no legal recourse available to you. Let us look at the facts and advise you of your options and help you to protect your rights accordingly. Please connect with our firm’s Tampa, FL auto accident lawyer today; our team looks forward to speaking with you.