After an accident in Fort Worth, Texas—such as a car accident or slip and fall—you expect the insurance company to treat you fairly. However, some insurance companies act in bad faith and take advantage of accident victims, hoping that they will abandon their legal claims or accept far less money than they deserve under their policy. This is where a Fort Worth bad faith insurance lawyer can come in.
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers has over 37 years of combined experience and has successfully recovered over $75 million in compensation for our clients. Contact us online or call (817) 839-3143 today to take advantage of a free, no-obligation case review.
How Can Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers Help After an Accident in Fort Worth, TX?
After an accident, you may be dealing with painful injuries and an uncertain future. You are likely confused about your legal rights.
When you hire one of our Fort Worth personal injury lawyers, they can help you by:
- Investigating the accident
- Reviewing your insurance policies
- Reading any written communications between you and the insurance company about your claim
- Reviewing relevant state laws and regulatory guidelines
- Handling communication with the insurance company on your behalf
- Explaining your legal rights under the terms of your insurance policy
- Negotiating your claim for maximum compensation
- Taking your case to court, if necessary
Call Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers today for your free case review.
What Is Bad Faith Insurance?
Bad faith insurance uses unethical or illegal practices to deny, delay, or underpay valid insurance claims. All insurance companies are subject to the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, meaning that they will honor the terms of their insurance contracts. They can be held legally and financially responsible when they fail to abide by these rules.
Common Examples of Bad Faith Insurance
It may be easier to look at a few examples of bad faith insurance.
It can involve:
- Failing to acknowledge a claim
- Denying a claim without conducting a proper investigation
- Delaying a claim without justification
- Misrepresenting policy terms or facts
- Failing to respond to communications from a claimant
- Not providing an explanation for a claim denial
- Intentionally undervaluing a claim
- Failing to settle a claim when liability is clear
If something doesn’t feel right about how your claim is being handled, contact an attorney for assistance.
Signs of Bad Faith Insurance
Some signs that you may be dealing with a bad faith insurance system include:
- Lack of communication: The insurance company may fail to acknowledge that you have made a claim, provide requested information, or return your phone calls or messages.
- Continuous requests for information: The insurance company might ask for an unreasonable amount of information, request the same information, or request information irrelevant to your claim simply to aggravate the claim process.
- Denied claims: The insurance company might deny your claim without an explanation, make a blanket denial, or cite language that is not in your policy or incorrect facts.
- Lowball offers: The insurance company may make an unreasonably low offer, such as offering less money than your medical bills.
- Payment delays: The insurance company may be dragging its feet when paying the settlement it promised you.
- Threats: Insurance adjusters may act aggressively, threatening to increase your premiums, cancel your policy, or deny your claim.
Recognizing these signs can alert you as to when you might need legal assistance from a bad faith insurance lawyer.
Texas Law on Bad Faith Insurance Practices
Texas Insurance Code Chapter 541 provides a list of unfair settlement practices of insurers toward insured or beneficiaries, which includes:
- Misrepresenting a material fact or policy provision related to the relevant insurance coverage
- Failing to attempt in good faith to carry out a prompt, fair, and equitable settlement when the insurer’s liability has become reasonably clear or its liability has become reasonably clear to influence the claimant to settle another claim under a different portion of the coverage
- Failing to promptly provide a policyholder a reasonable explanation of the basis in the policy for a denial or offer of a settlement
- Failing to affirm or deny coverage or submit a reservation or rights letter to a policyholder within a reasonable time
- Refusing or unreasonably delaying a settlement offer under applicable first-party coverage because other coverage may be available or third parties are responsible for the suffered damages, except as provided under the policy
- Refusing to pay a claim without conducting a reasonable investigation
These practices are based specifically on the insurance company’s contractual relationship with the insured.
What Financial Compensation Can I Recover in a Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
You may be able to recover damages for:
- The policy benefits you were entitled to
- Payment for attorney’s fees
- Statutory penalties
Our lawyers can evaluate your case and determine the damages you may be eligible for.
Call Our Fort Worth Bad Faith Insurance Attorney Today
You can learn more about your legal rights when filing an insurance claim when you contact the Fort Worth bad faith insurance attorneys at Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers. We provide free consultations and only charge for our services after we recover compensation on our clients’ behalf.
