Filing an insurance claim? Know what you’re actually entitled to.

You can file an insurance claim without an attorney, but if you were injured in an accident, speaking with a personal injury lawyer early can help you understand the insurance coverage that may apply and avoid decisions that could affect your claim. An attorney can review the accident, applicable insurance policies, available coverage, and potential sources of compensation before you accept a settlement or sign important documents.

Yes. A personal injury attorney can review relevant insurance policies to help determine what coverage may be available for your accident. This may include liability coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments coverage, umbrella policies, and other applicable insurance.

Insurance policies can contain coverage limits, exclusions, definitions, conditions, and other provisions that may affect a claim. An attorney can help you understand what coverage may apply, whether additional coverage could be available, and how the policy relates to your injury claim.

You may need to notify an insurance company about an accident, but be careful about providing detailed statements, signing documents, or agreeing to a settlement before you understand your rights. If you are unsure what the insurance company is asking for, consider speaking with an attorney before responding.

Before providing a recorded statement, consider speaking with an attorney about the request and how it relates to your claim. What you say during the claims process may become part of the insurance company’s investigation.

You are not required to accept the first settlement offer. Before accepting an offer, it can be important to understand the extent of your injuries, expected future treatment, lost income, available insurance coverage, and the potential value of your claim.

Receiving an offer does not necessarily mean you have to accept it. An attorney can review the offer, your injuries, damages, and available insurance coverage before you decide whether to accept or continue pursuing the claim.

Yes. You can speak with an attorney even if you have already opened a claim or have been communicating directly with the insurance company. If you have not finalized the claim or signed a release, an attorney may still be able to review your situation and explain your options.

Depending on the circumstances, other sources of coverage may be available. For example, your own policy may include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. There may also be additional policies or responsible parties depending on how the accident occurred.

An attorney can investigate available insurance coverage and take appropriate steps to determine applicable policy limits and potential sources of recovery. Knowing the available coverage can be an important part of evaluating a personal injury claim.

A denial does not necessarily mean you have no options. An attorney can review the reason for the denial, the applicable insurance policy, the circumstances of the accident, and other available evidence to determine what options may exist.

The same general principles apply regardless of which insurance company is handling the claim. Our attorneys can review claims involving GEICO, Progressive, State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, Mercury, USAA, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, AAA, and other insurers.

We offer a free initial claim review. You can discuss your accident, injuries, insurance situation, and where you are in the claims process before deciding what to do next.

If available, it can be helpful to have your insurance policy or declarations page, claim number, accident report, photographs, medical records or bills, correspondence from the insurance company, and any settlement offers you have received. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything yet — you can still contact us to discuss your situation.

If you were injured in an accident, it is generally better to understand your options before accepting a settlement or signing a release.