March 12, 2012

8 Tips from Lawyers Who Sue Insurance Companies

If you’re considering suing your insurance company, it’s important that you know to be prepared for the long haul. These lawsuits can take years of back and forth, and those years are expensive. Costs may include, lawyer fees, court fees, travel, any time you need to take off work, experts and, most importantly, your time. It’s not a decision to be made when one is at the height of their emotions. However, if you decide it is the right decision for you, here are 8 tips from lawyers who sue insurance companies:

1. Hire an attorney as soon as possible

In general, the rule is to find yourself a lawyer when your insurance company does. The insurance company’s lawyer is not your friend, and you better believe your insurance company has everything documented: anything you’ve submitted to them, your statements, your conversations with them, etc. Hiring your own lawyer will level the playing field.

2. If you’re not sure if you need an attorney, talk to one

Better safe than sorry. Signs that you’ll need an attorney include a claim dragging out for months on end with no end in sight and wrongfully denied claims. Even if it’s not clear to you if you’re being impatient or if they’re pulling your leg, a consultation with an attorney is free of charge. Finding lawyers who sue insurance companies is no more than a call away.

3. Save everything

Just as your insurance company is expected to keep precise documentation of all your information, you should do the same. If they botch an interview, for example, and claim that their mistake is the truth, you need your own documentation to set the record straight. Be very clear with your facts; the more information you have to provide a lawyer, the easier it’ll be.

4. Be honest, forthright, and true

If you’ve done all you’re supposed to do, your attorney will make sure you get what you deserve. If you’ve paid your premiums honestly and provided all the necessary information in a timely manner, but your insurance company is still pussyfooting around, your attorney will have no problem calling them out.

5. Be human

When you bring your lawsuit to court, and you’re relying on a jury of strangers to decide your fate, know that the people will always prefer the policyholder over the corporation. People are familiar with having to deal with their insurance, and they can empathize with your struggle. When you tell them how much you’ve been struggling – you can’t pay your mortgage, you need help taking care of your kids, and  they’ve made your life difficult after you’ve honestly paid your bill every month – they’ll understand your struggle.

6. Be calm, cool, and collected

If your insurance company can produce a recorded phone call with you verbally abusing them, it’s not going to look good. What you want to be faced with is phone calls where you clearly explain the situation repeatedly, and have the information in your documentation match with your defense in the moment.

7. Hire an experienced, no-BS attorney

Just like you want to be simple, clear, and confident, you want your attorney to be the same way. That being said, maybe the most important part of this process is finding lawyers who sue insurance companies. Find an attorney that is not afraid to call someone out when they’re purposefully blurring lines or bending the truth.

8. Be confident

Of course, the best way to be confident in your lawsuit is to hire the appropriate attorney, one with the right experience in suing insurance companies. Even if there is undoubtedly plenty at risk, it’s always worth considering, especially if you’ve been wronged. The New York Times posted an article essentially stating that government officials maintain control over the people when the people turn down their constitutional right to go to trial. When you apply this concept to insurance companies who would rather settle than go to trial, maybe we’d see more insurance companies taking better care of their insured.


You may also be interested in:

When a Negligence Claim Fails
How Does Social Media Impact Your Lawsuit?
Difference Between a Trial Attorney and Personal Injury Lawyer
Bankruptcy With an Insurance Claim