Las Vegas Auto Insurance Dispute Lawyer

Every vehicle owner in the state of Nevada is required to maintain the following minimums for motor vehicle liability insurance coverage:

• $25,000 bodily injury per person
• $50,000 bodily injury per accident
• $20,000 property damage

This is colloquially known as the “25/50/20 rule.” Our state also uses an at-fault system for car accidents, meaning that whoever is responsible for causing the crash is also responsible for the cost of the victim’s damages.

But while the law might be clear on matters of liability, many auto insurers seem intent on making things much more complicated than they have to be. If your initial claim was denied, know that you don’t have to take “no” for an answer.

A Las Vegas auto insurance dispute lawyer from the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp is ready to sit down with you to discuss your legal options to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, mental anguish, and other damages.

When You Can File a Car Insurance Claim in Las Vegas

A car insurance claim is generally filed after an individual has been involved in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, and that resulted in injuries, financial losses, and other damages. This claim is filed with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, except in cases when the at-fault driver:

• Is underinsured (does not have enough coverage to address your damages)
• Is uninsured (does not have any auto insurance coverage at all)
• Flees the scene of the accident

In each of the above examples, you may need to file either an additional claim or file solely with your own insurance company. These claims are covered under your own uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage.

What Car Accident Claims Cover

The purpose of filing a car accident claim is to recover compensation that allows you to be “made whole” again. This means that you are entitled to compensation for the various ways your life has been impacted by a car accident, including all financial, physical, and emotional damages.

Car accident compensation can be broadly broken down into two categories: economic and non-economic damages. These refer to your financial and non-financial losses, including:

• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Vehicle repairs
• Property damage
• Mental anguish
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Don’t let the insurance company deny you the compensation you are entitled to after a car accident. An auto insurance dispute lawyer from the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp is prepared to be your steadfast guide as you stand up for what is right.

Why Do Auto Insurers Deny or Dispute Claims?

You know that you didn’t cause the accident, so why is the other driver’s insurer disputing your claim?

Sadly, insurance companies are not known for being kind and empathetic entities that are eager to help their policyholders or those that they hurt. These are big companies that have been built with the goal of earning and growing profits. Paying your claim goes directly against their primary function.

Don’t expect a car insurance company to come right out and say that your claim is costing them too much money, though. Instead, insurers have a wide variety of tricks and tactics they use to limit liability and deny personal injury claims. You might have even seen one of the following excuses cited in your own claim denial:

• Damages exceed policy limits
• Damages not covered by policy coverage
• Violation of the law (such as speeding or texting and driving)
• Filing error

You might also be accused of exaggerating your injuries or losses, putting you in the difficult and uncomfortable position of having to justify what you’re asking for. An insurance company may even pressure you to hand over your medical records. However, our Las Vegas auto insurance dispute attorneys strongly advise against giving insurance companies access to your private medical information.

Instead, if your claim is being denied or disputed, reach out to our law firm for a free and confidential case evaluation. When the insurance company realizes you’re working with a lawyer, they’ll know that it’s time they have to start playing by the rules.

How To Tell the Difference Between a Valid Denial and a Bad Faith Denial

In the insurance world, bad faith is a practice that involves an insurer refusing to meet its obligations, such as paying full and fair compensation for valid claims.

So how can you tell if a denied claim is valid or an act of bad faith? Well, it can be hard.

Insurance companies will frequently cite what seem like completely valid reasons for saying “no” to your personal injury case. Blaming you when you were not at fault, citing lack of documentation, or even questioning the extent of your losses are all tricks the insurance company banks on you accepting at face value.

The most effective way to tell the difference between a valid denial and a bad faith denial is to work with an experienced auto insurance dispute lawyer. At the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, our fierce legal reputation is unmatched. We know all the tricks that the insurance companies try to pull when they don’t want to pay a claim, and we don’t let them get away with it.

For insight into the reasons behind your claim denial, contact our law office.

Can an Auto Insurer Deny My Claim if I Was Partially at Fault for the Wreck?

You were partially at fault for the car accident, so can the auto insurer deny your claim? Well, it depends.

Under Nevada Revised Statutes 41.141, comparative negligence laws only prevent financial recovery if you are more at fault than the other driver. This means that if both you and the other driver played a role in the collision, you will each be assigned a percentage of fault. So long as you are less at fault than the other driver, you can still recover compensation for your damages. However, it will be proportionately reduced by your percentage of fault.

Insurers often twist and misuse the concept of comparative negligence to limit how much they have to pay or to deny claims altogether.

If you were assigned a higher percentage of fault than you believe is reasonable, you need the backing of a knowledgeable attorney who won’t just accept what the insurance company is saying at face value.

What Will a Las Vegas Auto Insurance Dispute Lawyer Do for Me?

You’re injured. You’re out of work, watching medical bills pile up, and you don’t know where to turn for help. The Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp wants to stress that you are not alone in this. Help from our law office is always just a call or click away.

If an insurer is giving you a hard time, a Las Vegas auto insurance dispute lawyer from our law firm can:

• Evaluate the denial letter for inconsistencies, factual errors, and inaccuracies
• Provide clear and compelling evidence of what you’ve been through and how much you’re owed
• Push back against unjust denials or acts of bad faith
• Help you secure the compensation to which you are lawfully entitled

Working with a lawyer sends a powerful signal to the insurance company: You know that you are entitled to compensation for your car accident injuries, and you aren’t willing to accept anything less.

At the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, we’ll be happy to meet with you and discuss the merits of your potential case. We provide our services to those living in Las Vegas, Clark County, and elsewhere in Nevada.

The sooner you get in touch, the sooner we can get started on your case. Call or contact us online to find out how we can help.