AAA Claim and Settlement Dispute: Filing a Lawsuit

Anyone who plans to operate a motor vehicle must have purchased auto insurance on that vehicle so that damages will be covered if an accident occurs.  Many people have chosen Triple AAA as their auto insurance company and in the event of a motor vehicle accident, a claim must be sent to the company so that the damages will be covered.  Triple AAA will then send out an appraiser to examine your vehicle and determine how much it is going to cost to get the necessary repairs completed.  The appraiser will then send an estimate to Triple AAA and the repairs should be completely covered (minus the deductable amount agreed upon in your insurance plan).  Most people are normally happy with Triple AAA, but sometimes an auto accident claim is not handled correctly and it can be challenging to know what to do next.

Common Dispute Situations

The most common situations where disputes arise from an auto accident insurance claim are if the company takes much longer then needed to process the claim, if the settlement amount suggested by the company for repairs is insufficient or if the claim has been denied all together.  These sorts of problems are often magnified if Triple AAA is the insurance company used by the other at-fault driver in the accident and it is not your insurance company.  All insurance companies are there to make money, they are not a charity, and so they are not always willing to supply the compensation for damages that they should.

Litigation: Battling a Dispute

When a claim is not being taken care of properly and it does not seem to be an issue that can be solved easily, then it may be necessary to bring the case into litigation.  Mediation is usually the best option to begin with, because it is less expensive than arbitration and the claim can be brought before an independent party (usually an attorney) for consideration.  If the insurance company does not honor the agreement made at mediation, then it may become necessary for the case to be taken into arbitration.  An attorney will then be needed to help you file a lawsuit and represent you and your claim in court.

When to Talk to a Lawyer

Even if your case has not yet gone to mediation or arbitration, it is a good idea to contact an auto accident attorney who has worked with claims involving insurance companies and experience handling disputes.  The attorney will be able to offer you valuable legal advice about how to proceed with your claim.  If your dispute is not resolved and your case must be brought to mediation or arbitration, then the attorney will also be able to represent you and your claim.  It is important to make sure that you feel comfortable with the attorney that you choose to consult with and have handle your case, because he/she will be your representative in front of the insurance company and in court, if necessary.