Insurance claims

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Personal Injury

The insurance claims process is not always as easy or intuitive as many believe. If you need to file a claim following a Los Angeles car accident, we may be able to help. Our Los Angeles insurance claim attorney assists clients with recovering compensation after they suffer injuries in a crash caused by another driver. You can speak with KJT Law Group for free today. We handle insurance claims and lawsuits for collision victims in and around Los Angeles. Call (818) 507-8525 now for your free case evaluation with our team.

What Types of Insurance Coverage Are Available After a Los Angeles Crash?

Most car accident victims recover compensation for their injuries and other incurred damages through an insurance claim and negotiated settlement. Several types of insurance coverage may be available following a crash. The circumstances of the accident and the available coverage will dictate which coverage applies in your case. Our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys can help you determine your options. Common types of insurance coverage used after a collision include:

Auto Liability Coverage

Auto liability insurance coverage is the only policy required in Los Angeles, according to the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). There may also be alternatives to purchasing an insurance policy, but it is the most common way to show you meet the state’s financial responsibility laws. Every driver must show they can provide at least:

$15,000 in bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
$5,000 in property damage liability

Like all liability policies, this policy pays out to cover damages suffered by others in an accident the policyholder causes. The covered expenses could include:

Medical bills
Future necessary care
Lost income
Diminished earning capacity
Damage to the vehicle, for repair or replacement

UM/UIM Coverage

Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) policies cover your injuries and damages if the at-fault driver in a collision did not have the required liability policy or enough coverage to pay for your losses. According to the California Department of Insurance, California does not require this coverage. However, your insurer must offer it to you. These policies generally pay for:

Injuries suffered by the policyholder and their passengers
Property damages up to $3,500 not covered by collision coverage

Some people opt to carry UM/UIM and collision and medical payments coverage, while some choose one or the other.

Collision and Comprehensive Damage Coverage

These policies, sometimes known as “full coverage” insurance, pay for the damage to your vehicle regardless of fault in the collision. If you cause an accident (collision coverage) or your vehicle sustains damage in a non-collision incident (comprehensive coverage), this policy will pay to repair or replace your car. It could pay out up to policy limits.

You can also file a claim based on this policy to recover compensation after another driver causes a crash. Your insurance company will pay out minus the deductible for your car repairs and then try to recover the money they spent from the at-fault driver’s insurance company through a process called subrogation.

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage is an optional policy that pays to cover medical care costs related to accident injuries. Unlike a liability policy, this coverage pays for the policyholder’s injuries. It applies regardless of fault. There is generally a deductible, and this policy will only pay up to its limits.

Why Is an Insurance Claim Important?

Filing an insurance claim and demanding a fair payout is often the best way to recover compensation for the expenses and losses you incurred following a car accident in Los Angeles. Crash victims often have a variety of financial losses and intangible damages related to their accident. When they did nothing to cause a collision, they should not be responsible for paying these bills and covering the losses. An insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit allows them to hold the at-fault driver legally responsible for their negligence. The insurance company may pay for damages that include:

Ambulance transportation
Emergency room visit
Treatment
Hospitalization and related expenses
Inpatient or outpatient therapy and rehabilitation
Future or ongoing care costs
Lost income from all sources
Reduced ability to work and earn in the future
Miscellaneous related costs
Pain and suffering
Car repair or replacement

As you can imagine, these cases can easily reach five or even six figures. When the victim suffers catastrophic, life-threatening or life-altering injuries, they may go over $1 million. This could require additional action beyond an insurance claim.

How Can a Los Angeles Insurance Claim Lawyer at Our Firm Help?

The insurance claims process may seem straightforward, but there are many things you need to know to prove your case, calculate a fair settlement value, and negotiate a payout from the insurer. This process can be confusing, time-consuming, and frustrating. When we represent a client hurt in a crash, we handle all aspects of this process for them. They can focus on healing instead of learning how to handle a claim. At KJT Law Group, our case results speak for themselves. While our past successes are no guarantee we can win your case and recover compensation for you, they demonstrate our ability to aggressively pursue justice—and win. We know how to build a case and navigate the insurance claims process for our clients. This includes:

Investigation

Before we can file an insurance claim and recover compensation, we need to have evidence to show:

Who is legally liable
How their negligence caused the crash
How much our client lost as a result

We gather the necessary evidence during an investigation into what happened. This task requires us to identify, collect, and analyze physical evidence, police reports, relevant medical records, expert data, accident reconstruction reports, witness statements, and more.

Demand

Once we believe we have strong support for our client’s claim, we determine a fair settlement range and demand the insurer pay us for our client’s damages. This is equivalent to “filing the claim.” We generally send a letter outlining our case and projected value, asking them to pay.

Negotiations

Insurers only want to pay out as much as absolutely necessary. They rarely accept our demands. So, we negotiate to reach a settlement agreement that works for our client.

Settlement

Often, a settlement with the insurer is possible. In that event, we draft an agreement, and our client signs. This agreement states that they will not pursue any additional compensation in the case in exchange for the agreed payment.

What If They Won’t Pay My Claim?

In some cases, we encounter a situation when a personal injury lawsuit becomes necessary. We have to sue the at-fault driver to seek the compensation our client deserves. When this occurs, we have a strict deadline we must meet. Under CCP § 335.1, we only have two years from the accident date to sue the driver in most cases. Exceptions exist, but we must not wait too long. Our client could lose the right to take the case to trial.

Hire a Los Angeles Insurance Claims Lawyer on Our Team Today

Speak with KJT Law Group today. Our team offers free consultations and represents clients with no upfront fees. Contact us online or by calling (818) 507-8525 now to learn more.

If you or someone you love was injured due to another person’s negligence, contact KJT Law Group at (818) 507-8525 for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights and options.

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