If you or somebody you care about sustains an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another person or entity, you deserve to be compensated for what happened. In general, most injury claims are settled out-of-court and with insurance carriers. However, there are times when insurance carriers delay or deny a claim unnecessarily. Here, we want to discuss the top four reasons why your insurance claim made be denied. Armed with this information, you may be able to take preventative steps to help ensure a successful claim.
Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Claims
There are various valid reasons why an insurance carrier may deny a claim. For example, if an injury victim does something that directly caused the incident or if they could have avoided the accident altogether, their claim may be denied. However, there are also many reasons that insurance carriers delay or deny claims they are not valid.
1. Prior injuries or surgeries
Insurance carriers regularly ask injury victims to sign medical authorization forms. It is vital that you do not agree to sign these forms without first speaking to a skilled lawyer. Insurance carriers are going to use these authorization forms to obtain your entire medical history and look for previous injuries and surgeries. If you do have a previous injury or surgery, the insurance carrier will likely try to say that those previous injuries or surgeries were the cause of your current injuries. They could also use your previous injuries or surgeries to say that the injuries caused by the accident are less severe than you claim.
2. Pre-existing conditions
Insurance carriers regularly deny claims when an injury victim is suffering from a pre-existing condition. Insurance carriers often try to argue that your pre-existing condition caused your injury, not the accident. For example, if you have a pre-existing back injury caused by repetitive stress at work, but you suffer a back injury as a result of an accident, the insurance carrier may deny your claim by saying that your new injuries or the exasperation of pre-existing conditions were not the results of the accident.
3. Delayed treatment after an accident
It is vital that victims seek immediate medical care after they have been injured in an accident. If you delay seeking medical care after an accident, the insurance carrier may deny your claim and argue that your injuries were caused by an event other than the accident in question. The insurance carrier could say that your injuries are not as serious as you claim because you did not seek immediate care. The insurance carrier could also say your injuries were caused by an incident that occurred after the accident in question.
It is important to realize that the signs and symptoms of many accident injuries do not appear for hours or even days after the incident. That is why it is always advised that you seek immediate medical care and let a qualified physician perform an examination to determine the extent of your injuries.
Speak to an Attorney
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, you need to seek assistance from an accident attorney as soon as possible. At Ciccarelli Law Offices A skilled Philadelphia personal injury lawyer will be able to advise you on the steps to take after your injury incident. We will be able to draft and send a demand letter on your behalf or prepare your case for trial if necessary.