With so many cars on the roads, automobile accidents are an inevitable reality in Nevada. In some cases, you may experienced injury due to a car accident. If you were not at fault for the accident, you may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company. This compensation could be welcome relief from your medical bills, loss of income, and more.
Receiving the maximum amount of compensation is not as simple as filing a claim. Insurance companies are notorious for paying out as little as possible so you will need the help of a skilled Las Vegas personal injury lawyer. If the at-fault party has GEICO as their insurance provider, the following is what you can expect:
The Backstory Of GEICO As An Insurance Provider
Many people do not know that GEICO started as an insurance provider for government employees in 1936. The letters in the name stand for “The Government Employees Insurance Company”. It stayed this way until 1996 when it became a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. From 1996 on, the company grew quickly, providing insurance to anyone in the United States, not just government employees.
Currently, GEICO is one of the biggest and fastest growing auto insurance providers in the country; in fact, today it is the third largest auto insurer with over 28 million customers in America. If you get in a car accident with someone in Nevada, it is very possible that you will encounter GEICO insurance for your injury claim.
How To Determine Accident Liability In a Car Accident Injury
Nevada operates under modified comparative negligence when it comes to personal injury law. This means that each person involved will be assigned a certain percentage of fault. The person with 51% of the fault or more will be responsible to compensate you for damages. However, they will only be responsible to pay for a percentage of the damages.
For instance, if you are in an accident and are 20% at fault, the other driver is the at-fault party. They will be responsible to pay for your damages, but the amount they have to pay will be reduced by 20% (your amount of fault). Because of this, it can be crucial to involve a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer since insurance companies are known to push fault onto you so they have to pay less.
Compensation You Can Claim From GEICO Insurance After a No-Fault Accident
If you had no fault in the accident and you are seeking personal injury compensation from the driver’s GEICO insurance, you can collect two types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages refer to monetary losses like medical expenses while non-economic damages refer to non-monetary losses like pain and suffering and can be harder to prove, but are just as important. In 2023, the average bodily-injury liability claim was $26,501 in 2023; property-damage averaged $6,551.
- Economic Damages include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
Non-Economic Damages include:
What Is The Process of Settling a Claim With GEICO With The Help Of An Accident Lawyer
When you discuss your case with your Las Vegas personal injury lawyer, they can give you an idea of how quickly your claim will settle. Timelines vary significantly based on the specific circumstances. There are several steps to the process:
- Step 1- Investigation: During this stage, GEICO will take a detailed look into the accident and all associated injuries. This step takes time as there is often dispute as to who is at fault or how severe the damages are. Your lawyer will investigate as well, gathering evidence and information to fight for fair compensation.
- Step 2- Medical Treatment: Depending on your injuries, you will need medical treatment. GEICO waits to offer a settlement until these injuries and the required treatment are clear. During this time, your lawyer will coach you through exactly what you should say, will make sure all your injury needs are met, and ensure that proper records are kept documenting your claim.
- Step 3- Negotiations: Once GEICO has all the information they need, they will start negotiations. This is where a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer is crucial to ensuring you receive a fair settlement and protecting you from accepting inadequate offers that fail to address your medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. They will do the negotiating for you so you don’t have to experience insurance agents pressuring you to take low-ball offers.
- Step 4- Litigation: If a fair settlement is not reached, your lawyer can take your case through litigation. This brings the case in front of a judge who can help determine a fair settlement.
Reasons GEICO May Deny Your Injury Claim & What To Do About It
Typically, GEICO pays out injury victims, but claims can be denied for several different reasons including:
- Assigning you fault above 50%
- Not enough evidence for your injuries
- Arguing that injuries were pre-existing
- Driver does not have coverage to support claim
- Driver had a lapse in coverage during the accident
- Illegal circumstances such as the vehicle that hit you was stolen
If this happens to you, do not worry, you still have options. You can speak with your Las Vegas personal injury lawyer about the denial. They will look into what happened, gather evidence, negotiate on your behalf, and will take your case to court if necessary.
Don’t Face Your Car Accident Injuries Alone, Trust Our Lawyers For Help
If you have been injured in a car accident, reach out right away to our Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at Benson & Bingham. We have over 20 years of experience and are available 24/7 for free consultations. Our lawyers have a passion for justice and have the knowledge necessary to get the maximum amount of compensation possible in your case.