Pittsburgh Auto Insurance Bad Faith Claim Lawyer

Hold an Auto Insurer Accountable for Unreasonable Conduct With the Help of a Car Insurance Bad Faith Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

When there’s been an auto accident, you rely on your insurance carrier to fulfill its promises. In Pennsylvania, that can mean everything from paying to repair vehicle damage to covering medical bills under the state’s no-fault auto insurance system. If your insurer is taking an unreasonable approach to your claim, it’s time to bring on the guidance of a Pittsburgh auto insurance bad faith claim lawyer at AlpernSchubert, P.C.

We know your rights under Pennsylvania’s bad faith law, the tactics insurers in our area use to avoid paying valid claims, and how to successfully demonstrate insurance carrier misconduct before a court. With a record of handling bad faith insurance claims of all kinds and securing our clients the full compensation they’re entitled to, we’re the clear choice to address your frustrating insurance issues. Contact us today to get started with a free consultation.

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Auto Insurer Obligations and Policyholder Rights Under Pennsylvania Law

An auto insurance policy is a legally binding contract. Your insurer must deliver the promised benefits. If the company fails to do so, you can take legal action against your insurance carrier.

In PA, insurers that offer policies of all kinds, including but not limited to auto coverage, must act in good faith when processing and paying policyholders’ claims. Generally, this means conducting claim assessments and investigations properly, in a timely manner, and with honesty and integrity.

Insurance companies benefit from paying out as little as possible in claims, which protects their profits, but achieving this outcome through conduct that is unfair, unreasonable, or dishonest is a violation of their contractual obligations and state law. Auto insurers shouldn’t, for example, assume their policyholder is misrepresenting the facts of the situation without reason, selectively interpret policy language to avoid paying benefits, or deny claims without justification.

Not all claim denials or insurance disputes rise to the level of bad faith conduct, but when an insurer’s actions do meet this threshold, policyholders can take legal action to attain more than just the benefits they are owed. Under state law, established by 42 Pa. C.S. § 8371, policyholders have legal recourse against insurers that act in bad faith. Through an auto insurance bad faith lawsuit, an insured can be awarded interest on the amount of the payout they are entitled to. Courts can also award punitive damages, which are meant to punish the defendant for their conduct, as well as ordering the defendant to pay the plaintiff’s legal costs.

At AlpernSchubert, P.C., we stand up to insurance companies that break their promises and their policyholders’ trust. We pursue the full remedies available to our clients under Pennsylvania law.

What Auto Insurer Actions Constitute Bad Faith in Pittsburgh, PA?

Insurance bad faith typically occurs once the company faces a claim for benefits. In auto insurance coverage, that usually involves some sort of a car accident. A Pittsburgh auto insurance bad faith claim lawyer at AlpernSchubert, P.C., can help you fight back against conduct like the following:

• Denying auto insurance claims or benefits without a reasonable basis
• Intentionally misrepresenting or unfairly interpreting policy language
• Failing to conduct a proper investigation to inform the company’s handling of the accident claim
• Accusing a policyholder of misrepresentation or fraud without evidence and putting the burden of proof on the insured
• Making an objectively low settlement offer and refusing to negotiate further
• Delaying payments without justification

In auto insurance bad faith matters, the unreasonable conduct of the carrier could relate to several different aspects of a claim, including:

• Property damage coverage, often pertaining to unreasonable delays or low offers for vehicle repair or replacement compensation
• Personal injury protection (PIP) benefits the policyholder is entitled to under Pennsylvania’s no-fault insurance system, including medical expenses and wage loss (if applicable)
• Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage that kicks in when the at-fault motorist lacks sufficient (or any) insurance coverage to compensate the victim
• Claims against the policyholder by a victim who sustained injury or property damage, if the insurer refuses to settle the case within the policy limits

Whether your auto insurer’s conduct is exposing you to further financial liability, interfering in your medical care and physical recovery, or posing hardships in your daily life by delaying vehicle repair, you need to stand up to your insurance company. Our legal team is here to help with effective representation inside and outside the courtroom.

Turn to a Car Insurance Bad Faith Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, to Protect Your Rights

Even though the insured can be awarded certain remedies in bad faith claims under Pennsylvania law, this right only benefits you if you fight for it. Insurance companies that act in bad faith count on policyholders’ uncertainty and their reluctance to take legal action to get away with misconduct. As an experienced Pittsburgh auto insurance bad faith claim lawyer, we’ve seen it all, and we won’t stand by while insurance carriers fail to uphold their end of contracts with our clients.

How AlpernSchubert, P.C., Can Help

As your highly experienced car insurance bad faith attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, here’s how AlpernSchubert, P.C., approaches cases like yours.

• Initial consultation: We meet with you to review the facts of your situation at no cost and help you understand your legal rights and options.
• Auto policy review: The first step in assessing whether disputes or claim denials are justified is to carefully review the policy language to determine whether coverage is in place for the claim and determine what interpretations the insurer is using to make decisions.
• Analysis of documentation: By the time you realize your insurer may be acting in bad faith, you have likely had a series of communications with the company. We analyze every letter, email, text message, and phone interaction to fully understand and document the company’s conduct toward your case.
• Legal strategy development: What arguments and evidence best support a potential bad faith claim against the auto insurer on your behalf? We craft a personalized strategy for success based on the specific facts of your individual situation.
• Settlement demand letter and negotiations: Through formal correspondence, we present our arguments for covering the claim to the insurance carrier. Ideally, once the insurer realizes that you’re willing to take legal action, it will engage in good-faith negotiations to settle your case without further dispute or delay. Otherwise, we’re willing to continue fighting for you.
• Litigation: We initiate a bad faith lawsuit by filing a legal document known as a Complaint. This begins a multi-step process that encompasses discovery, legal proceedings, and potentially a trial.

We fight for our clients at the negotiation table and in the courtroom, always with the best interests of the claimants we represent in mind.

Why Choose AlpernSchubert, P.C., as Your Pittsburgh Auto Insurance Bad Faith Claim Lawyer?

When you need to hold an auto insurance company accountable, you need legal counsel that is experienced in this complex and detailed area of law, dedicated to fighting for individuals, and prepared to customize your legal strategy.

Unrivaled Experience Handling Bad Faith Claims

No law firm has a reputation that matches ours when it comes to litigating bad faith insurance claims in Western Pennsylvania. Many attorneys won’t even attempt these complicated cases, and very few have cultivated a track record of successful bad faith claim outcomes like we have at AlpernSchubert, P.C., where our attorneys have more than 100 years of combined experience.

Commitment to Helping Claimants, Not Insurers

While many lawyers represent both plaintiffs and insurance companies, we have devoted our careers to helping individuals. We never work for insurance companies, because we recognize how important it is that policyholders’ claims are handled with integrity. Every attorney in our firm got into practicing law because we truly wanted to help people, not for the money. That means we don’t spend our time helping insurers hold onto their profits at the expense of the insured.

Personalized Attention for Every Wronged Policyholder

Our team believes in providing individual attention to every client we serve and developing legal strategies customized to the facts of your unique situation. When you’ve been dealing with an insurer that handles your claim in bad faith, you already know how frustrating it is to feel like just a claim number and be unable to get your questions answered. We’re committed to providing the experience our clients deserve, including transparent communication and helpful, meaningful service.

Contact a Pittsburgh Auto Insurance Bad Faith Claim Lawyer at AlpernSchubert, P.C., Today for a Free Consultation

Between statutes of limitations that limit your time to file an auto accident lawsuit and deadlines that apply specifically to bad faith claims, you need to carefully manage the time limits that apply to your case. Don’t wait to take action and risk losing your legal rights. In matters of bad-faith conduct, giving the insurance company more time isn’t the answer. Retaining legal advocacy is.

For help from a car insurance bad faith attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, contact AlpernSchubert, P.C., online or call 412-556-2326 today.