13 Jul

4 Most Common Reasons Why Insurers Deny Car Accident Injury Claims

Drivers in Florida are legally required to carry PIP coverage, or personal injury protection. Florida has a “no-fault” accident system, meaning that if a car accident occurs and one or more parties is injured, both parties are required to go through their own insurance company and PIP coverage first before seeking compensation in another manner. This happens regardless of whose fault the accident actually was. (Recently, a bill known as SB-54 that would have repealed Florida’s no-fault system was passed, but vetoed by Governor DeSantis due to concerns it would cause insurance rates to rise, so this system will stay in place for the foreseeable future).

When you are injured in a car accident in Florida, you have to turn to your insurance company first and make a claim for compensation, but insurers often attempt to devalue or deny customer claims in order to avoid making payouts. That’s the main reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims – to protect their own financial interests – but sometimes victims unintentionally give them a valid excuse (or several).

Obviously, if you want to get the full compensation you deserve, you need to know about the most common reasons why insurers deny car accident injury claims so you can make sure those don’t apply to you. Then you take away every excuse they would have to not give you the full amount you deserve!

No medical attention was sought/medical attention wasn’t sought soon enough.

The first thing you should do after you leave the scene of an accident is go get a full medical exam. Some injuries can take days or weeks to present themselves, and adrenaline may prevent you from feeling your injuries right away. Getting immediate medical attention is not only critical for your health and safety, but it is also super important when it comes to proving the presence and extent of your injuries to your insurance company (and to a jury, if it comes to that).

If you don’t seek medical attention at all, and then make a claim for compensation, your insurance company will have no way of knowing if your injuries are real, and assume that clearly your injuries haven’t significantly interrupted your life if you haven’t sought the help of a professional.

What is more common for victims who do sustain serious injuries is waiting too long to get a complete medical exam. Delayed treatment gives the insurance company an opportunity to assume or suggest that something else could have occurred in the time between your accident and your medical exam that either caused or exacerbated your injuries, and therefore they are not responsible to pay.

Don’t wait to see a doctor! It’s in your best interest physically and also legally to do so.
Not enough documentation is available.

Another reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims is a lack of proof. It’s not enough to just go see a doctor; you need to be able to prove to your insurance company (and again, to the jury, if it comes to it) that your claim is valid and your injuries were a direct result of the accident. This means that you need detailed medical records including imaging test results and written prescriptions and diagnoses, a police report of the accident, photographs of the scene, eyewitness accounts (if possible), emails to your boss at work, and anything else available as evidence.

If there is little or no documentation regarding your claim, it is more likely to be denied.
The claim was filed too long after the accident occurred.

If you want to get paid for your injuries, it is your responsibility to let your insurance company know that you have been injured in an accident. Now, there are certain things that you should not say to them on the phone, and it is a smart idea to contact a lawyer before you call them, but you shouldn’t wait days or weeks or months to do so. When you wait to file your claim, the insurance company may insist that they were not given a fair opportunity to investigate the accident. This can prevent you from getting the justice you deserve.

Don’t wait to get checked out by your doctor or in an emergency room; don’t wait to file a claim with your insurer.
The claim was filed incorrectly or incompletely.

Filing a formal claim can be a complicated and confusing process, especially if you are recovering from your injuries, in pain, or stressed out about missing work/being injured. You may accidentally enter incorrect details or not realize that you have to file the claim in a certain way to meet the company’s requirements. Small mistakes are a common reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims.

If your claim was denied, investigate thoroughly; it’s possible that a paperwork error was the only thing keeping you from compensation, although that may not be the case.

Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, the insurance company may still deny your claim. Remember, the big reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims is because they lose money if they don’t. Insurance adjusters seem like your friends, but they are not; their goal is to avoid full payouts, which means they will do anything they can to withhold the amount your injuries are truly worth. When your claim is devalued or denied, you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney!

Attorneys understand the tactics that insurers use to deny claims, so they can help make a strong case for compensation. They can help you understand what your injuries are worth and then negotiate with the company until a settlement is reached, or take your case to trial if necessary. Injured car accident victims who hire representation are much more likely to recover significant compensation!

The Florida Law Group has recovered over $1 billion dollars for our clients. We have a track record of success and have received many awards and recognitions for our ability to get verdicts. We have 11 locations around the state to better serve victims, and because we believe that everyone deserves justice, our clients never pay us unless we win their case. If you were injured in an accident, call today to schedule a free consultation and discover your legal options!

No medical attention was sought/medical attention wasn’t sought soon enough.

The first thing you should do after you leave the scene of an accident is go get a full medical exam. Some injuries can take days or weeks to present themselves, and adrenaline may prevent you from feeling your injuries right away. Getting immediate medical attention is not only critical for your health and safety, but it is also super important when it comes to proving the presence and extent of your injuries to your insurance company (and to a jury, if it comes to that).

If you don’t seek medical attention at all, and then make a claim for compensation, your insurance company will have no way of knowing if your injuries are real, and assume that clearly your injuries haven’t significantly interrupted your life if you haven’t sought the help of a professional.

What is more common for victims who do sustain serious injuries is waiting too long to get a complete medical exam. Delayed treatment gives the insurance company an opportunity to assume or suggest that something else could have occurred in the time between your accident and your medical exam that either caused or exacerbated your injuries, and therefore they are not responsible to pay.

Don’t wait to see a doctor! It’s in your best interest physically and also legally to do so.
Not enough documentation is available.

Another reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims is a lack of proof. It’s not enough to just go see a doctor; you need to be able to prove to your insurance company (and again, to the jury, if it comes to it) that your claim is valid and your injuries were a direct result of the accident. This means that you need detailed medical records including imaging test results and written prescriptions and diagnoses, a police report of the accident, photographs of the scene, eyewitness accounts (if possible), emails to your boss at work, and anything else available as evidence.

If there is little or no documentation regarding your claim, it is more likely to be denied.
The claim was filed too long after the accident occurred.

If you want to get paid for your injuries, it is your responsibility to let your insurance company know that you have been injured in an accident. Now, there are certain things that you should not say to them on the phone, and it is a smart idea to contact a lawyer before you call them, but you shouldn’t wait days or weeks or months to do so. When you wait to file your claim, the insurance company may insist that they were not given a fair opportunity to investigate the accident. This can prevent you from getting the justice you deserve.

Don’t wait to get checked out by your doctor or in an emergency room; don’t wait to file a claim with your insurer.
The claim was filed incorrectly or incompletely.

Filing a formal claim can be a complicated and confusing process, especially if you are recovering from your injuries, in pain, or stressed out about missing work/being injured. You may accidentally enter incorrect details or not realize that you have to file the claim in a certain way to meet the company’s requirements. Small mistakes are a common reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims.

If your claim was denied, investigate thoroughly; it’s possible that a paperwork error was the only thing keeping you from compensation, although that may not be the case.

No medical attention was sought/medical attention wasn’t sought soon enough.

The first thing you should do after you leave the scene of an accident is go get a full medical exam. Some injuries can take days or weeks to present themselves, and adrenaline may prevent you from feeling your injuries right away. Getting immediate medical attention is not only critical for your health and safety, but it is also super important when it comes to proving the presence and extent of your injuries to your insurance company (and to a jury, if it comes to that).

If you don’t seek medical attention at all, and then make a claim for compensation, your insurance company will have no way of knowing if your injuries are real, and assume that clearly your injuries haven’t significantly interrupted your life if you haven’t sought the help of a professional.

What is more common for victims who do sustain serious injuries is waiting too long to get a complete medical exam. Delayed treatment gives the insurance company an opportunity to assume or suggest that something else could have occurred in the time between your accident and your medical exam that either caused or exacerbated your injuries, and therefore they are not responsible to pay.

Don’t wait to see a doctor! It’s in your best interest physically and also legally to do so.

Not enough documentation is available.

Another reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims is a lack of proof. It’s not enough to just go see a doctor; you need to be able to prove to your insurance company (and again, to the jury, if it comes to it) that your claim is valid and your injuries were a direct result of the accident. This means that you need detailed medical records including imaging test results and written prescriptions and diagnoses, a police report of the accident, photographs of the scene, eyewitness accounts (if possible), emails to your boss at work, and anything else available as evidence.

If there is little or no documentation regarding your claim, it is more likely to be denied.

The claim was filed too long after the accident occurred.

If you want to get paid for your injuries, it is your responsibility to let your insurance company know that you have been injured in an accident. Now, there are certain things that you should not say to them on the phone, and it is a smart idea to contact a lawyer before you call them, but you shouldn’t wait days or weeks or months to do so. When you wait to file your claim, the insurance company may insist that they were not given a fair opportunity to investigate the accident. This can prevent you from getting the justice you deserve.

Don’t wait to get checked out by your doctor or in an emergency room; don’t wait to file a claim with your insurer.

The claim was filed incorrectly or incompletely.

Filing a formal claim can be a complicated and confusing process, especially if you are recovering from your injuries, in pain, or stressed out about missing work/being injured. You may accidentally enter incorrect details or not realize that you have to file the claim in a certain way to meet the company’s requirements. Small mistakes are a common reason why insurers deny car accident injury claims.

If your claim was denied, investigate thoroughly; it’s possible that a paperwork error was the only thing keeping you from compensation, although that may not be the case.