It seems like a no-brainer: If someone else causes an accident that results in an injury to you, their insurance should cover the costs involved in your treatment and your recovery. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. In some cases, an insurance company might balk at paying the costs associated with your injury.

You have enough to deal with when you’ve been injured in a car accident without the worry that comes when another’s insurance company won’t pay enough to cover all the costs associated with your injury. When this happens (and possibly even before), it’s a good idea to hire a personal injury attorney to help you out.

Insurance companies are great at coming up with reasons not to pay out on a claim, even when the insured driver is clearly at fault and has been found liable. Here are some of the reasons that your claim might be denied, or that some — but not all — of your costs might not be covered:

*- The insurer claims you are partially at fault: Even if a law enforcement officer issues a citation to the other driver, an insurer might still decide that you are partially at fault, or that you didn’t do enough to avoid the situation. In these cases, the insurer might only pay part of your costs.

*- The insurer claims your injury wasn’t caused by the accident: Sometimes, insurers try to get out of paying what they should be claiming that your injury wasn’t caused by the accident. In some cases, they might say the accident aggravated what was already there, or that you injured yourself further later, and that all of the costs don’t need to be covered.

*- The insured doesn’t have enough coverage: There are times when the insured doesn’t have enough coverage. If he or she only has the minimum required by the state, the pay out might be capped at the coverage amount, and you are left with the remainder of the bill.

*- In some cases, the insurer simply offers a smaller settlement amount, or tries to refuse to pay because it thinks it can get away with it. If you aren’t represented by a professional, like a personal injury attorney, an insurer might just try to see if it can get away with paying less, since you might not know any better.

Whenever you’re injured, it’s a good idea to hire a personal injury attorney. These professionals know what’s fair, and what’s expected in certain cases. Just having an attorney shows insurance companies that you are serious, and they are less likely to try to pull one over on you.

Another reason to hire an attorney is because you might have to sue if the insurance company won’t pay. Even if the insurance company tries to justify not paying, chances are that you are entitled to payment because of your injuries. Your lawyer can help you file the proper paperwork to sue the insurance company for payment or to — if it becomes necessary — sue the other driver for the money to cover your injuries.

Few of us like the idea of resorting to litigation, but it’s not fair for you to foot the bill if someone else’s actions have resulted in your injury. You deserve justice and the chance to recover what’s been lost.

If you’ve been involved in an accident in Maryland or West Virginia, contact us today.  We’re here to help.