Receiving a denial letter after a motorcycle accident claim is not the end of the road. Insurance companies deny claims for all kinds of reasons, and not all of them are valid. A Lafayette motorcycle accident lawyer can review the denial, determine whether it was justified, and fight to get the decision reversed or pursue other avenues for compensation.
Why Motorcycle Accident Claims Get Denied
Insurance companies deny motorcycle accident claims more often than they deny standard car accident claims. Common reasons for denial include:
- Disputes over who caused the accident
- Claims that the rider’s injuries existed before the crash
- Allegations that the rider violated a traffic law
- Missed deadlines or paperwork issues
- Assertions that the policy doesn’t cover the type of crash that occurred
- Claims that the rider wasn’t wearing a helmet, even when that has no bearing on who caused the accident
Some denials are legitimate. Others are based on incomplete investigations, biased assumptions, or insurance companies looking for any reason to avoid paying a valid claim. The only way to know which one you’re dealing with is to have an experienced attorney review the denial closely.
Insurance companies are required to provide a written explanation when they deny a claim. That explanation is the starting point for your attorney’s review. An auto accident attorney in Lafayette will look at the specific reason given and compare it against the facts of your accident, the language of the policy, and Louisiana law to determine whether the denial holds up.
How an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Challenge a Denied Claim
If your claim was wrongfully denied, your attorney may take one or more of the following actions:
- Reinvestigate the accident to gather additional evidence and build a stronger and more complete picture of what happened.
- Appeal directly to the insurance company, providing additional evidence and a detailed legal argument explaining why the denial is improper.
- File a lawsuit if the insurance company refuses to reconsider a wrongful denial.
- Pursue a bad faith claim if appropriate to pursue your original claim plus penalties and attorneys’ fees.
At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, our motorcycle accident lawyers have the experience, skills, and knowledge to protect your rights and help you secure the compensation you are owed.
Contact an Experienced Lafayette Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Promptly
If your claim was denied, time matters. Louisiana law generally gives injury victims two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit, under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3493.1. Appeals and negotiations take time, so the sooner you get an attorney involved, the more options remain available to you.
A denied claim isn’t necessarily a closed case. At Anderson Blanda & Saltzman, we know how to dig into a denial, challenge it where it doesn’t hold up, and fight for the compensation motorcycle accident victims deserve. With over 100 years of combined experience and more than $300 million recovered for our clients, we’re ready to put that experience to work for you.
Call us at (337) 233-3366 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.