If an insurance company denies your Georgia personal injury claim, you should hire a Georgia personal injury lawyer to help you. The insurance company hopes that by denying your claim that you will forget about it and go away. They are in the business of making money, collecting premiums and want to offer the least amount of money possible to settle a claim. Many times, they simply outright deny a claim for no valid reason or offer a low settlement. When you hire an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney to represent you, it is a signal to the insurance company that you mean business and that you are going to fight for what you are legally entitled to receive for your injuries and pain and suffering.
The insurance company is more apt to take your claim serious once an attorney is involved. However, there are times when negotiations break down, and the parties just cannot reach an agreement. Other methods of dispute resolution must be used such as mediation, arbitration or filing a lawsuit in court. Your attorney can recommend which options are the best for your case.
Litigation vs. Mediation vs. Arbitration
Mediation
Mediation is dispute resolution method that has become quite popular. It is less costly and very informal. A neutral third party mediator is hired by the parties to bring the parties and their attorneys together to try and resolve the matter. The parties share the cost of mediation. The mediator makes no decisions, but just acts as the chair of the mediation. The mediation is held at the mediator’s office, and there is no judge or jury present. Mediation can be successful in resolving a personal injury claim. However, if the parties cannot come to a resolution, then they usually must go to court and litigate the matter.
Arbitration
Arbitration is more formal than mediation, but still less formal than a court proceeding and less costly and time consuming as well. The arbitrator is chosen by the parties, and the parties share the costs of arbitration. The arbitrator listens to the testimony of both sides and then makes a binding decision. The parties are bound by the decision and cannot appeal it.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
A personal injury lawsuit is filed with the court against the insurance company who denied the claim. Your attorney can prepare and file the documents and represent and defend you in court. The attorney will build a strong defense by collecting information, reviewing copies of medical bills, the police report, other reports, talking to witnesses and hiring any experts that may be needed to testify on your behalf at trial to help your case. The advantage a lawsuit has over mediation or arbitration is that you have legal precedents and cases on your side, and you can appeal a decision.
Talk to your Georgia personal injury attorney if your insurance claim has been denied. The attorney is experienced at dealing with insurance companies and can recommend the best course of action to help you resolve the matter and receive what you are legally entitled to. Contact my office today to discuss your accident.
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