If you are considering pursuing an insurance bad faith claim in Charleston, West Virginia, contact the attorneys at James F. Humphreys & Associates today to arrange a free consultation.
Charleston Office:
United Center, Suite 800
500 Virginia Street East
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
Telephone: (304) 553-0457
Fax: (304) 347-5055
Toll Free: (866) 804-3235
Washington, DC Office:
1200 New Hampshire Ave
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 448-9629
Fax: (202) 223-3595
Toll Free: (866) 804-3235
Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys in Charleston, West Virginia
Victims of catastrophic personal injury frequently depend on insurance company claims to pay for medical bills and other pressing monetary issues. If you have filed a legitimate claim with an insurance company, and your claim has either been denied or substantially delayed, you may have grounds for an insurance bad faith lawsuit. Contact James F. Humphreys & Associates in Charleston, West Virginia to speak with our attorneys about you case.
Insurance Bad Faith
An insurance company is obligated to handle your claim expediently, reasonably, and in good faith. The duty of good faith involves: adjusting your claim promptly, cooperating with you in regards to your claim, explaining in writing why a claim has been denied, attempting to find a reason to pay the claim (rather than finding a reason not to), and being "fair" with the claimant. As the claimant, you are obligated to submit your claim for benefits in a timely fashion, provide information requested by the insurer (if the company is entitled by law), make a statement under oath, and to cooperate with the insurer in regards to your loss.
Bad Faith Claims
If you have fulfilled your obligations to the insurance company and, despite your repeated written requests, they are dragging their feet on your claim, have denied your claim, or have denied your appeal, you should hire a bad faith attorney. Not only can an experienced attorney help you resolve your claim, you may also be entitled to additional damages. Don’t let an avaricious insurance company deny your claim or make you settle for a lowball offer. An experienced insurance bad faith attorney can give you the leverage needed to get the compensation you deserve. Just as there are time limits on filing a claim after a loss, there are limitations on bad faith lawsuits following the denial of a claim. Contact our Charleston, West Virginia firm today to learn more or to speak with our attorneys about your case.
Compensation For Insurance Bad Faith
If it can be proven that the insurance company was unreasonable in denying your claim, you may sue for consequential damages, extra-contractual damages, and punitive damages. Consequential damages are compensation for expenses that you had to pay for because of the denial. Extra-contractual damages are compensation for mental and emotional distress. Punitive or "exemplary" damages are assessed to punish the insurer and discourage it and its employees from acting in bad faith in the future. Punitive damages can be hard to recover, however, as it must be proven that the insurance company acted with flagrant disregard for its responsibilities to the claimant.
To learn more about insurance bad faith, contact James F. Humphreys & Associates in Charleston, West Virginia today to speak with our experienced attorneys.