What if My Car Accident Claim Was Denied by State Farm?

If State Farm denies your car accident claim, you may still be able to secure compensation, and a Lafayette car accident lawyer can help. An experienced attorney can assess your unique situation and determine what needs to be done to recover fair compensation on your behalf.

A lawyer can review the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage, as well as your own policy, to determine why State Farm denied you coverage and file an appeal. You may also be able to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

What You Should Do if Your Car Accident Claim Was Denied by State Farm

If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Louisiana, you would typically file an insurance claim with an at-fault driver’s provider. However, State Farm and its insurance adjusters often deny legitimate claims, leaving claimants confused about what to do next. A Lafayette personal injury lawyer can help.

If you received a denial for your State Farm auto claim, this only represents a first-time refusal of financial compensation. Depending on your situation, a denial does not mean the end of the claims process. You have the right to appeal their denial if you act quickly.

You may also have collision coverage or another active policy, such as uninsured motorist coverage/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM), which could cover any gaps in a negligent driver’s coverage.

How to Appeal a Denied State Farm Claim

You can appeal a denied State Farm claim by sending the company a demand letter stating that you want to initiate the appeal process. While you can attempt to draft the letter and negotiate with the insurance company, it’s strongly recommended that you seek legal support.

Working with a car accident attorney can ensure that your demand letter doesn’t contain mistakes that could hurt your claim. A lawyer can also provide several other services during the State Farm appeal process to ensure you have the best chance possible at receiving a fair settlement.

A Lawyer Can Help You With the State Farm Appeal Process

A car accident lawyer can help if you’re filing a claim with your insurance company after an accident you caused or filing a third-party claim with an insurance company representing another driver. We can help you:

Review the State Farm Claim Denial Letter

If State Farm decides to deny your claim, they’ll send you a denial letter. This letter should contain the reason for the denial and the insurance company’s position. We can review this letter and provide you with information about your options.

Gather Additional Evidence

In some cases, State Farm claims are denied due to insufficient evidence. If that happens to you, a personal injury attorney can collect the records and information required to make your claim successful.

Depending on your case, our legal team may gather the following forms of evidence:

• Police report
• Witness statements
• Accident scene photographs and footage
• Documentation of medical costs
• Medical records

File a Demand Letter

After reviewing a denial letter, your car accident attorney can create and send a demand letter. This document states the facts of your case and includes information about any bad faith practices State Farm may have used to deny the initial claim.

Handle the Appeals Process

Filing a formal appeal with your auto insurance company is one of the most important steps in this process. Your personal injury lawyer can properly file all documents and present your case on your behalf. They’ll work tirelessly to convince State Farm that you deserve sufficient payment for your injuries and losses.

Negotiate Aggressively

State Farm representatives may be open to negotiation after an initial insurance claim denial. Car accident lawyers understand the strategies that work to handle insurance agents. A skilled lawyer can negotiate effectively with the insurer to recover all that your auto insurance policy has to offer.

File a Car Accident Lawsuit

While your lawyer may successfully negotiate a car accident settlement, State Farm may refuse to settle fairly. In this case, your lawyer may advise you to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver to secure damages for your losses. If that’s the case, your attorney can represent you in court and see that a fair verdict is reached.

Depending on the circumstances of your case, your attorney can provide legal representation and ensure the State Farm appeal process or your lawsuit goes as smoothly as possible. They’ll also answer your questions, ensuring you always know what’s happening with your case.

How Long it Takes State Farm to Process and Settle a Claim

If you’ve filed or plan on filing a claim with State Farm, you might wonder how long it takes to reach a settlement after sending a demand letter.

The time it takes for the insurance carrier to process and settle your claim depends on several factors, including the complexity of your accident, your losses, and how many other drivers were involved in the crash.

Although State Farm is one of the largest insurance companies, it can still take considerable time to resolve a claim. An attorney from a trusted personal injury law firm can review the details of your case and give you a rough estimate of how long you can expect to wait for a settlement.

Why Does State Farm Deny Claims?

Unfortunately, insurance providers like State Farm often deny valid claims or offer low settlement amounts to increase profits. Depending on the facts of your case, State Farm representatives may employ bad-faith practices to avoid covering your losses.

Our team can determine if one of the following bad-faith insurance claim denial tactics is at play in your case:

• Refusing to investigate your claim
• Delaying your claim for an unreasonable period
• Making unnecessary or repeated demands for documents
• Misrepresenting the facts or your insurance policy
• Failing to provide useful communication

If You Shared Liability for Your Car Accident

If you share partial liability for your motor vehicle collision, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep trying to get the compensation you deserve. Louisiana follows a pure comparative negligence law under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323. We can help you move forward with your claim if it was denied for any of the following reasons:

• Policy limitations
• Disputes regarding shared liability
• Waiting too long to file a claim
• Failure to pay insurance premiums

If an attorney finds that your claim was denied due to one of the common reasons listed above, they can still help you seek compensation. They’ll provide the effective legal support you need to file a successful demand letter, appeal, or even a personal injury lawsuit.

State Farm May Deny Various Forms of Coverage

While U.S. News & World Report has included State Farm on its “Best Car Insurance Companies” list, the company still denies countless legitimate claims yearly. That’s because State Farm is focused on protecting its bottom line.

Paying claims takes away from company profits. Therefore, the insurer may look for reasons to deny claims. State Farm representatives may also make very low initial settlement offers if they do not deny a claim outright. They may make an offer that fails to cover losses for:

• Medical expenses
• Property damage, such as vehicle repairs
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering

You do not have to accept the initial offer made by the insurance company, even if they imply they will not make additional offers. Instead, you can appeal the initial offer and negotiate for a better settlement with assistance from a Louisiana car accident lawyer.

If Your Car Accident Claim Was Denied by State Farm, Our Attorneys Can Help

If your car accident claim was denied by State Farm, our lawyers can review the coverage of the liable party and explore your legal options. Our team at Laborde Earles can help you review the denied claim, file an appeal, and take any further steps required to obtain a settlement.

Contact the car accident lawyers at our firm for a free initial consultation and learn more about the legal options available. An experienced car accident lawyer can discuss your accident and provide more information on what to do if State Farm denies your car accident claim.