Were you shocked to learn that your recent car accident injury claim was denied? Maybe you thought you had a great case, but your claim was denied anyway. Or, maybe you had solid evidence, but the insurance company found a way to minimize your injuries.
Whatever happened to get your claim denied, you still have the chance to appeal the decision. Whether you were denied directly by the insurance company or through a lawsuit, consider the following reasons to file an appeal.
- You can hire an attorney
You can hire an attorney for your appeal, even if you didn’t have legal representation before. If you didn’t win your case without an attorney, it will help to have one during your appeal.
In most cases, you can’t submit additional evidence with an appeal unless it’s truly new evidence. However, a lawyer will know exactly how to respond to the judge and the other attorneys.
Most pro se litigants don’t win personal injury cases, and if they do, they receive minimal compensation. Having an experienced personal injury attorney will ensure you get the maximum compensation possible if you win your case.
- An appeal is your only recourse
Once your claim has been denied, there’s nothing else you can do but appeal the decision. Filing an appeal is your only recourse. If you don’t mind not getting any compensation for your injuries, then you don’t need to appeal.
However, if your medical bills and personal bills are piling up, you can’t work, or you’re worried about how you’re going to pay the rent, filing an appeal will give you the opportunity to recover some compensation.
- It’s not hard to file an appeal
The appeals process is straightforward, since you’ll be submitting the request with all the existing paperwork and evidence. Your biggest concern should be filing the appeal on time, since there is a time limit for appeals.
It’s incredibly easy to file an appeal with an auto insurance company. They have a specific process already laid out for that purpose. All you need to do is fill out their paperwork.
If you’re filing an appeal with the court, you might be required to cite specific laws that weren’t followed by the judge or commissioner in order to get an appeal. Not filling out this section of paperwork properly can get your appeal denied on a technicality.
Make sure you hire an attorney for your appeal so you don’t lose your case for trivial reasons.
- Sometimes fresh eyes can see more clearly
When you appeal a decision made by the court, you’ll sometimes get the option to have a different judge or commissioner hear your appeal. If you felt like your first judge was somehow prejudiced against you or wasn’t understanding the facts concerning your case, take your appeal to someone new.
Fresh eyes can do wonders for your case. Judges are human and are not immune from subconscious bias. They may not even realize they were looking at your case through biased lenses. Getting somebody new to hear your case could be the difference you need to win your appeal.
- You have nothing to lose
When your injury claim has already been denied, you have nothing to lose. There is no risk in appealing your case. There’s no guarantee you’ll win your appeal, but if you don’t win, you won’t be any worse off than you are right now.
However, if you win your appeal, you’ll get the compensation you deserved in the first place. There’s nothing to lose by appealing, so don’t hesitate to start the process.
- Your denial cited an inaccurate reason
There are plenty of reasons for a claim to be denied. For example, claims are usually denied if your policy coverage has lapsed for non-payment, your situation is specifically and explicitly excluded in your policy, or if you didn’t notify your insurer of the accident in a timely manner.
If you filed a claim with an insurance company and they cited one of the above reasons, and that reason isn’t accurate, file an appeal. If you can prove the reason is inaccurate, you’ll probably win your appeal.
File an appeal for another chance at winning your case
Everyone deserves a second chance at winning a denied personal injury claim. You shouldn’t have to pay for medical bills for injuries someone else caused. Start filing your appeal today and get the ball rolling. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain if you win.
