Has your claim for insurance benefits been denied without justification after an accident in Lebanon, Pennsylvania? Has an insurance company continually lowballed you or delayed payment on a legitimate claim? If so, contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates immediately. Your claim may have been handled in bad faith, in direct violation of Pennsylvania state law. Our Lebanon bad faith insurance lawyers can help you fight for your rightful payout and seek additional damages for your losses and suffering.
Since 2008, Marzzacco Niven & Associates has helped accident victims and devastated families take on powerful insurance companies in Lebanon and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As award-winning litigators with 120+ years of combined experience, we’ve forced insurers and corporations across the state to pay our clients tens of millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards.
Don’t let the insurance company push you around. Hold them accountable for their wrongful and deceitful actions. Contact our law office in Lebanon, PA, to set up a free initial case evaluation today or call at (717) 995-8963.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help if Your Insurance Claim Has Been Handled in Bad Faith in Lebanon, PA
Something seems off with the way the insurance company handled your claim for benefits – but how do you prove it?
What exactly constitutes a bad faith practice? What evidence will you need to make a case and recover the compensation you need and deserve? How can you force the insurance company to take you seriously?
These are tough – but important – questions. Fortunately, you don’t have to tackle them on your own. Our Lebanon personal injury lawyers are here to help.
Our law firm has gone toe-to-toe with manipulative insurance companies in Pennsylvania for more than 15 years. We’ve seen first-hand the tactics and strategies adjusters will use to get out of paying legitimate claims and helping accident victims get back on their feet.
When you choose Marzzacco Niven & Associates, you’ll be able to count on us to use the full force and resources of our law firm to help you take on the insurance company, demand accountability, and make things right.
As we navigate your bad faith claim, we will:
- Carefully analyze how your initial claim was handled by the insurance company
- Identify potential violations of the insurance contract and bad faith practices
- Gather evidence needed to support a successful claim for damages
- Handle all conversations with the insurance company on your behalf
- Prepare and file all legal claims, motions, and documents with the local court in Lebanon County
- Aggressively pursue a top-dollar settlement during negotiations
The threat of litigation is always on the table when Marzzacco Niven & Associates is in your corner. As accomplished trial attorneys, we know that we can accelerate meaningful conversations with the defendant if it’s clear that we’re ready and willing to bring a matter to court. When we prepare your case, we’ll do as if it’s definitely going to reach a jury. This can help to force important conversations and get you the best possible outcome.
Contact our Lebanon, PA, law office to learn more. We’re always here to help and set up a time for a free initial case evaluation.
What Is Bad Faith Insurance?
Insurance benefits are based on a contract. That contract states that the insurance company will pay benefits up to a certain amount as long as the policyholder makes regular payments and keeps the policy in good standing.
Both parties – the policyholder and the insurer – are required to hold up their end of the bargain. Both parties have a legal duty to deal in good faith.
The good faith requirement applies to first-party and third-party claims.
- A first-party claim involves a policyholder submitting a claim to their own insurance company.
- A third-party claim involves a third party submitting a claim to another party’s insurance company.
Good faith means that the claimant and insurance company are honest and sincere in filing and reviewing claims for benefits.
Simply put, as a policyholder or claimant, you have a responsibility to file only legitimate claims and request fair benefits. As an insurer, the provider must consider all claims with the intent to fulfill the terms of the contract.
When an insurance company engages in deceitful, dishonest, or underhanded tactics in an effort to minimize a payout, delay payment, or deny a claim, it’s considered to act in bad faith.
Examples of Bad Faith Insurance Practices
Some common examples of bad faith insurance practices include:
- Denying a claim for benefits without a reasonable justification
- Offering an unreasonably low settlement offer
- Failing to respond to a claim within a reasonable amount of time after it’s received
- Failing to promptly and thoroughly investigate a claim for benefits
- Requiring a claimant to provide unnecessary and/or burdensome paperwork
- Failing to consider all evidence relevant to a claim
- Failing to communicate with a claimant during the claims process
- Misrepresenting the terms of the insurance policy
- Changing the terms of the insurance policy after a claim is received
- Delaying payment on a legitimate claim
If you think the insurance company mishandled your claim after an accident in Lebanon, PA, it’s important to seek out the counsel of an experienced bad faith insurance attorney near you.
Call Marzzacco Niven & Associates, and we’ll listen to your story, analyze your initial claim, and help you understand what legal options may be available.
Representing Clients in All Types of Bad Faith Insurance Disputes
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, we’re here to help you take on an insurance company after you’ve suffered a devastating injury or loss.
We represent clients in all bad faith actions involving:
- Car insurance
- Homeowners Insurance
- Business Insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Malpractice insurance
Don’t hesitate to call us for help after a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, slip and fall, or another serious incident where you’ve been injured through little-to-no fault of your own. We’ll help you take on an insurance company and fight to make things right.
What Do I Have To Prove To Win a Bad Faith Lawsuit in Lebanon, Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania state law does not explicitly define “bad faith” insurance practices. However, courts have provided guidance about what must be proven to win a bad faith insurance lawsuit.
For your bad faith claim to be successful, you’ll have to prove:
- The insurance company did not have a reasonable basis for denying benefits, and
- The insurance company knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that it did not have a reasonable basis for denying your claim.
Unlike other types of personal injury lawsuits, which must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence, the burden of proof in bad faith actions is clear and convincing evidence. Your allegations – as supported by facts and evidence – must be substantially more likely true than not.
Can an Insurance Company Ever Deny a Claim in Good Faith?
Yes. Just because your claim for insurance benefits is denied, it does not necessarily mean that the insurance company acted in bad faith.
There are many legitimate reasons why an insurer might deny a claim or delay the claims process:
- The policy is invalid due to nonpayment of premiums
- The claimant is not covered by the policy
- The type of injury suffered is not covered by the policy
- There is a legitimate dispute over liability
- The insurance carrier needs time to perform a thorough investigation
There’s a fine line between performing due diligence in evaluating a claim and attempting to undercut a claimant’s rights under an insurance policy. Always bring your concerns to an experienced bad faith insurance lawyer in Lebanon if you suspect that your claim was mishandled.
What Types of Damages Can I Get in a Lebanon Bad Faith Insurance Lawsuit?
In addition to the amount sought in the initial insurance claim, Pennsylvania law provides that a plaintiff in a bad faith insurance action can be awarded compensation for:
- Interest on the initial claim, equal to the prime rate plus 3 percent
- Punitive damages
- Court costs and attorney fees
The insurance company will try to downplay the impact denying your initial claim has had on your life. Our Lebanon bad faith insurance attorneys won’t let them control the terms of your case. We will make it clear that the insurer’s bad faith practices had a direct and fundamental impact on your life, imposing significant financial hardship and emotional distress.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Trusted Lebanon Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer
An insurance company doesn’t have your best interests at heart. It’s a profit-based entity interested in lining its own pockets, not helping you move forward after a life-changing accident in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
When an insurance company engages in underhanded and deceitful practices when reviewing a claim, it’s important to call them out and hold them accountable. Bad faith insurance practices are against the law. Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you make things right.
We’re ready to put our 120+ years of combined experience to work for you.
Call our Lebanon bad faith insurance lawyers to arrange a free, no-obligation case evaluation today.