When it comes to the ins and outs of insurance coverage, The Richards Firm is your resource in understanding what may and may not be covered when it comes to a personal injury claim after an accident. While we are not insurance salesmen, we certainly hear from many people who are unaware of how insurance coverage works for them. We only handle personal injury claims for people injured as a result of others’ negligence, but we are always happy to help even when we have to refer a prospective client to another attorney.
Insurance claims are usually anything but simple. In this post, we will break down when legal fees may be covered
When Your Insurance Company Will Cover Legal Fees
If you are involved in a car accident that you caused and ultimately face a lawsuit, your insurance company will provide you with an attorney and cover legal fees. Most auto insurance policies have a “duty to defend” which provides for this situation.
The main goal of liability insurance, which is one of several types of coverage that may be provided pursuant to your car insurance policy, is to protect you from personal exposure. So in many cases, your liability insurance is what can protect you from paying out of pocket for legal representation when someone is suing you over a car accident. That same liability insurer should do its best to negotiate any claims against you within your policy limits so that you do not face an excess verdict against you that might expose on a personal level.
We have run into cases where insurers are not behaving in good faith in the defense of claims. Remember that you may have a bad faith claim against your insurer in the event of claims practices that lead to a judgment against you in excess of your liability insurance policy limits.
When Your Insurance Company Will Not Cover Legal Fees
There are exceptions that may cause your insurer to avoid defending you and covering any legal fees that you may incur. These exceptions can include:
- If you intentionally caused an accident or claim.
- You don’t contact your insurance company or give them notice after the accident occurred. Should you continue to not cooperate, the insurer may balk at coverage.
What About Legal Insurance?
Your car insurance policy should cover your legal fees if you get sued by another driver. Should your actions lead to criminal charges, you should consider hiring an attorney to defend you. That attorney will cost you. If you’re worried that might happen, you could get legal insurance. Also known as legal plans, legal protection insurance, or prepaid legal plans, these policies exist to help you pay for the cost of hiring a lawyer. On many college campuses, students pay some fee for coverage like this.
Paying For a Vehicle Accident Lawyer
If your insurance company will not provide you with a lawyer or cover your legal fees after an accident, you still can benefit from consulting with a personal injury lawyer. When you work with The Richards Firm, you have the benefits of consulting with our team risk-free. We can help point you in the right direction.
You won’t pay for our guidance. When we represent injured people in an accident case or any other personal injury matter, our clients only pay us if they make a recovery.
We can be reached at 513-868-2731, ext. 219 or visit us at https://richardsinjuryfirm.com.
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