Frequently asked questions
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1Do I need an attorney for my injury claim?
Insurance companies are large billion-dollar companies that are required by law to maximize profits for their shareholders. (The Securities and Exchange Commission requires all publicly traded companies to make profitability for shareholders a top priority.)
One of the biggest ways that an insurance company can increase its profits is by reducing the amount of money they pay you for your injury claim.
Insurance companies have developed very sophisticated computer systems and claims processing tools all in an attempt to reduce the amount of money they have to pay on injury claims.
Just one example of how an insurance company tries to reduce the value of your claim involves the initial phone call after the accident. When the insurance adjuster calls you after the crash, they will frequently record the phone call and ask you questions about how you are feeling and if you are injured. Often, immediately after a crash you will not know the full extent of your injuries. Maybe you have not seen your doctor yet to identify your injuries, or maybe your body is still running on adrenaline and your pain does not arise until a few days later. In both scenarios, the insurance company will use your recorded phone call to say “you really must not be injured because when we asked after the crash, you said you were fine.” They are hoping to use that recorded phone call against you to make you seem less credible even though they know that most people will not feel the full extent of their injuries in the days immediately after a crash.
This is just one example of the complexities that can arise in personal injury claims, and there are countless more nuances that exist in every single case.
At Sidell Injury Law, we only handle personal injury claims. We deal with insurance companies every single day and know the ins and outs of all types of claims. Just as you are very knowledgeable about your job, we are very knowledgeable about ours.
We are constantly strategizing and developing new ways to present your case and put pressure onto the insurance company to ensure they treat you fairly and provide the compensation you deserve.
Give us a call today for a FREE CONSULTATION at 702-384-3847.
One of the biggest ways that an insurance company can increase its profits is by reducing the amount of money they pay you for your injury claim.
Insurance companies have developed very sophisticated computer systems and claims processing tools all in an attempt to reduce the amount of money they have to pay on injury claims.
Just one example of how an insurance company tries to reduce the value of your claim involves the initial phone call after the accident. When the insurance adjuster calls you after the crash, they will frequently record the phone call and ask you questions about how you are feeling and if you are injured. Often, immediately after a crash you will not know the full extent of your injuries. Maybe you have not seen your doctor yet to identify your injuries, or maybe your body is still running on adrenaline and your pain does not arise until a few days later. In both scenarios, the insurance company will use your recorded phone call to say “you really must not be injured because when we asked after the crash, you said you were fine.” They are hoping to use that recorded phone call against you to make you seem less credible even though they know that most people will not feel the full extent of their injuries in the days immediately after a crash.
This is just one example of the complexities that can arise in personal injury claims, and there are countless more nuances that exist in every single case.
At Sidell Injury Law, we only handle personal injury claims. We deal with insurance companies every single day and know the ins and outs of all types of claims. Just as you are very knowledgeable about your job, we are very knowledgeable about ours.
We are constantly strategizing and developing new ways to present your case and put pressure onto the insurance company to ensure they treat you fairly and provide the compensation you deserve.
Give us a call today for a FREE CONSULTATION at 702-384-3847.
2I have been injured in an accident. How do I get medical treatment?
You have many treatment options available to you after being injured in an accident.
You can treat through your health insurance, you can pay cash out of pocket, or you can treat on a lien. A lien is sort of like an IOU with the medical facility. You do not have to pay anything out of pocket up front, and you agree to pay the doctor back out of the settlement on the back end of the case.
A big part of the service that we provide at Sidell Injury Law is helping you find the best doctors to treat you for your injuries. Your health is the most important thing.
If you already have a doctor that you would like to treat with, you can treat with your doctor. If you do not have a prior doctor that you would like to treat with, we can provide recommendations for you to choose from.
Our goal is to help you make the best physical recovery possible!
You can treat through your health insurance, you can pay cash out of pocket, or you can treat on a lien. A lien is sort of like an IOU with the medical facility. You do not have to pay anything out of pocket up front, and you agree to pay the doctor back out of the settlement on the back end of the case.
A big part of the service that we provide at Sidell Injury Law is helping you find the best doctors to treat you for your injuries. Your health is the most important thing.
If you already have a doctor that you would like to treat with, you can treat with your doctor. If you do not have a prior doctor that you would like to treat with, we can provide recommendations for you to choose from.
Our goal is to help you make the best physical recovery possible!
3How do I get my car fixed after a car accident?
When your car has been damaged in an accident in which you are NOT at fault, you have 2 main options for getting your vehicle repaired.
Option 1. The insurance company for the vehicle that caused the crash will fix your car after that same insurance company has confirmed their driver caused the accident. The key issue is that the insurance company for the car that hit you will only fix your car after they have completed their investigation of the crash and determined their insured is responsible for causing the crash. This investigation can sometimes take weeks, or even longer, depending on the facts of your case.
Option 2. Your own personal auto insurance company will repair your vehicle if you carry collision coverage on your insurance policy. Most insurance policies require that you pay a deductible to utilize your collision coverage. This deductible amount will vary depending on the plan that you purchased. You still have the option of having the insurance company for the vehicle that hit you repair your car, but you will have to wait for that company to accept responsibility for their driver causing the crash.
Option 1. The insurance company for the vehicle that caused the crash will fix your car after that same insurance company has confirmed their driver caused the accident. The key issue is that the insurance company for the car that hit you will only fix your car after they have completed their investigation of the crash and determined their insured is responsible for causing the crash. This investigation can sometimes take weeks, or even longer, depending on the facts of your case.
Option 2. Your own personal auto insurance company will repair your vehicle if you carry collision coverage on your insurance policy. Most insurance policies require that you pay a deductible to utilize your collision coverage. This deductible amount will vary depending on the plan that you purchased. You still have the option of having the insurance company for the vehicle that hit you repair your car, but you will have to wait for that company to accept responsibility for their driver causing the crash.
4The insurance company said my car is a total loss. What does this mean?
The State of Nevada has created a formula to determine if your vehicle is a total loss after a car accident. If the cost to repair your vehicle is more than 65% of the current fair market value of your vehicle, your vehicle will be deemed a total loss. NRS 487.790
If your vehicle is deemed a total loss, the insurance company will not fix your car. Instead, the insurance company will cut a check for the current fair market value of your vehicle and send that check to the vehicle’s title holder.
If your vehicle is deemed a total loss, the insurance company will not fix your car. Instead, the insurance company will cut a check for the current fair market value of your vehicle and send that check to the vehicle’s title holder.
5My car is a total loss and I owe more on the car than it is worth. What do I do?
Insurance companies are only required to pay the current fair market value of your vehicle when your car is deemed a total loss after an accident. Sometimes, the amount of money that you owe on your vehicle might be more than the check the insurance company writes and sends to your financing company.
Example: You owe $15,000 on your car, but the current fair market value of your car is only $10,000. In this case, the insurance company will only write a check for $10,000 and you will still have a loan balance of $5,000.
In this situation, you should reach out to your gap insurance company. Gap insurance is designed to kick in and pay the outstanding balance on your vehicle when your vehicle is a total loss and you owe more on the car than it is worth.
Example: You owe $15,000 on your car, but the current fair market value of your car is only $10,000. In this case, the insurance company will only write a check for $10,000 and you will still have a loan balance of $5,000.
In this situation, you should reach out to your gap insurance company. Gap insurance is designed to kick in and pay the outstanding balance on your vehicle when your vehicle is a total loss and you owe more on the car than it is worth.
6What are the minimum policy limits for car accidents in Nevada?
The State of Nevada requires every vehicle registered in Nevada to carry liability insurance of at least $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 in property damage coverage. NRS 485.185
Injury claims are made against and paid out of the liability coverage.
Property damage claims are made against and paid out of the property damage coverage.
Injury claims are made against and paid out of the liability coverage.
Property damage claims are made against and paid out of the property damage coverage.
7Will my own auto insurance company provide coverage for my car accident?
The coverage that your personal auto insurance company will provide will depend on the types of insurance that you purchased on your policy.
You should check your auto insurance policy to see if you have medical payments coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, underinsured motorist coverage, collision coverage, or rental car coverage on your policy.
If you have any of these types of insurance on your personal auto policy, your insurance company could provide benefits for your car accident claim.
You should check your auto insurance policy to see if you have medical payments coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, underinsured motorist coverage, collision coverage, or rental car coverage on your policy.
If you have any of these types of insurance on your personal auto policy, your insurance company could provide benefits for your car accident claim.
8What is medical payments coverage?
Medical payments coverage is sort of like a mini health insurance plan through your auto insurance policy.
If you purchased medical payments coverage and you have been injured in a car accident, your insurance company will pay for medical treatment up to the limit of medical payments coverage you purchased on the policy.
If you purchased medical payments coverage and you have been injured in a car accident, your insurance company will pay for medical treatment up to the limit of medical payments coverage you purchased on the policy.
9What is uninsured motorist coverage?
Uninsured motorist coverage is insurance that protects you in the event that someone crashes into you and does not have any insurance.
If you purchased uninsured motorist coverage and were injured in a car accident by an uninsured driver, you can make an injury claim through your own personal auto insurance policy.
If you purchased uninsured motorist coverage and were injured in a car accident by an uninsured driver, you can make an injury claim through your own personal auto insurance policy.
10What is underinsured motorist coverage?
Underinsured motorist coverage is insurance that protects you in the event that someone crashes into your and has an insurance policy that is too small to fully compensate you for your injuries.
If you purchased underinsured motorist coverage and your injury claim exceeds the policy limits available from the at fault insurance policy, you can make an injury claim through your own person auto insurance policy to seek additional compensation.
If you purchased underinsured motorist coverage and your injury claim exceeds the policy limits available from the at fault insurance policy, you can make an injury claim through your own person auto insurance policy to seek additional compensation.
