At Bringardner Injury Law Firm in Charleston, South Carolina, we know the importance of access to fair compensation after a severe accident. As South Carolina bad faith insurance lawyers, we help people and their families hold insurance companies financially accountable and enforce the insurance policies they sell.
What Do Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers Do?
Bad faith insurance attorneys can be involved in claims regarding personal injury, wrongful death, and other matters. Our legal team commonly works with car and truck accident victims needing compensation to get their lives back on track.
Often, after a catastrophic collision, the insurance company is reluctant to negotiate willingly.
Even when they are aware their insured party may be liable for your damages, they slow down the case or undervalue your losses. Insurance companies may attempt to do this to protect their own financial interests instead of their policyholders.
Cases involving uncooperative insurance companies present many challenges. When you retain Bringardner Injury Law Firm to represent you, we will help alleviate some of the burden and take on the aspects of filing a bad faith claim or lawsuit against the insurance company for compensation.
We have the legal knowledge and resources to navigate bad faith claims relating to injury and wrongful death and take necessary action to obtain your settlement without delay, or the risk of money left on the table.
Our services include:
- Investigating the incident: We examine every aspect of the claim, scrutinizing documentation, official reports and other evidence to build your case and present it to the insurance company to resolve promptly.
- Communicating with the insurance provider: We act in your place during all communications with the contentious insurance company, ensuring that all interactions adhere to legal standards and that no one violates your right to compensation.
- Negotiating settlements: Our attorneys use the gathered evidence and legal experience to secure a fair settlement whenever possible.
- Preparing for litigation: When the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we rigorously prepare to take the case to court, organizing all necessary documents, evidence and witness testimonies to present a compelling case before the judge or jury.
- Providing continuous support and guidance: We will walk you through the civil claims process and help you understand developments in your case as they arise.
Insurance companies are often more combative when the stakes are higher. Our South Carolina bad faith insurance lawyers understand the gravity of your situation. We ensure they uphold the policy contract and pay out accordingly.
South Carolina’s Bad Faith Insurance Law in Brief
South Carolina law mandates insurance companies to operate under a doctrine of utmost good faith, as stipulated in Title 38 of the state code of laws. This legal provision insists that all parties in an insurance contract must act honestly and transparently, ensuring they neither withhold vital information nor mislead each other.
Insurance companies must duly process and evaluate claims, embedding a duty of good faith and fair dealing in their operations. When a violation of this good faith occurs, it potentially prompts an insurance bad faith claim, which may necessitate a resolution through the court.
What Are Examples of Bad Faith Tactics by Insurance Companies?
Insurance adjusters generally try to protect the insurance company’s best interests. They adopt strategies to reduce payouts or unreasonably deny claims to minimize the insurance company’s financial liability, particularly in cases involving severe accidents and substantial damages.
Examples of these tactics include:
- Denying claims without providing a legitimate reason
- Failing to properly investigate claims
- Failing to communicate with claimants
- Failing to read and review claims files
- Intentionally postponing claim proceedings, sometimes running out the clock on the statute of limitations to take away your right to sue
- Offering substantially lower settlements, undermining your losses
- Neglecting to share crucial claim details with policyholders
- Deliberately misinterpreting policy specifications
Even for valid claims, they may pay out only a portion, delay the payment without reason, make unreasonable demands, fail to disclose policy limitations, dodge your attempts to communicate or even use harsh and accusatory language when you speak with them.
Such strategies, while creating immediate barriers, underscore the essential role of an experienced lawyer in safeguarding your rights and the rights of policyholders.
You may need to consult with our bad faith insurance lawyers in South Carolina to help process a delayed insurance claim and ensure you have protection against companies engaging in unscrupulous tactics.
What Should People Do When Insurance Bad Faith Actions Happen to Them?
When encountering a combative or non-responsive insurance company, addressing the issue quickly and assertively is the only viable option.
The first step is to speak with our attorneys about the legal recourse available to you. Then, you should start collecting and organizing all pertinent documentation related to your insurance claim. This includes all communication, claim submissions and any responses received.
Next, ensure all interactions with the insurance company occur through formal, traceable channels, such as emails or registered mail. As your legal representation, we handle this part for you. Maintaining a written record of communications will serve as vital evidence should legal proceedings begin.
We help you submit your complaint and supply evidence of the insurance company’s bad faith actions.
A countless number of factors can complicate a bad faith insurance case. Having legal assistance enhances the chances of successfully contesting unjust insurance practices.
Contact Our South Carolina Bad Faith Insurance Lawyers Now
At Bringardner Injury Law Firm in Charleston, South Carolina, we are familiar with the tactics insurance adjusters sometimes wield to negate a valid claim for compensation. As your legal team, we can ensure the provider upholds the promises made in the policy contract and protects your right to compensation on your terms after suffering losses in an accident caused by someone else.
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with our experienced South Carolina bad faith insurance attorneys.