Recovery after a car accident can be long and expensive. Medical bills may be piling up, you may be forced to miss days from work and your finances may be a mess. But, you were aware of all these consequences and hopefully with the help of an experienced St. Louis auto accident attorney, you decide to file an insurance claim to cover the costs.
But, what if the insurance company denied your claim? Can you still get compensated for your injuries?
Let’s see how you can maximize your chances of getting your claim through with these six steps.
Finding out Why Was Your Insurance Claim Denied
One of the first things you should do is to find out why exactly was your claim denied. The company is obliged to give you the exact reason why they denied a claim, and it’s usually included in a list of codes that will be sent through a standard form. If you don’t fully understand the reason listed in the standard codes, your attorney should be able to explain it you in understandable terms.
Check and Solve the Easy Issues First
If there are a number of reasons why your claim didn’t go through, start solving the easy ones first to get them out of the way. These small issues can include misspelling some words or names, a wrong piece of information accidentally provided by your doctor, etc. Go through all the papers and check if there is anything like that. Once you find a mistake, report it to the insurance company and make sure they have the right data when resubmitting. Working with an experienced attorney will, of course, minimize the number of mistakes that are made when filing a claim.
Gather as Much Evidence as You Can
If your claim did not have enough evidence to support it, get back to your doctor and gather all the information needed to appeal the denial. If needed, get tested again, gather more medical documents and build a stronger case. Getting in touch with an attorney as soon as possible after an accident will ensure that you build a strong case right from the start.
Submit All the Needed Documents
Make sure to follow the insurance company’s standard procedure when appealing, as it can go through faster this way. If you do need to write a letter to the insurance company to explain things better, make sure you always include the reference number of your claim and all the needed information about you.
Write Down All the Details of the Communication with the Company
To keep organized and to avoid wasting time explaining things twice, it’s helpful to have a clear timeline of your communication with the company. Write down dates, important notes after every phone call, and ask for the names of the agents you are speaking with, and reference numbers for any documents you include in your appeal.
File an Expedited Appeal
If your situation does not allow you to waste much time doing this appeal, make it faster by submitting an expedited appeal.
Although denials can happen, the risks decrease when you are working with an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer. Get in touch with one soon, even if we are talking about minor injuries and damages. Your time is best spent focusing on recovering after an accident. Leave the car accident claim to an experienced attorney who can ensure your legal rights are protected and get you the full amount of compensation you legally deserve.