Chicago Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer

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Have you recently been injured in an accident in Chicago, Illinois, and had your claim for insurance benefits denied or extremely undervalued? If you suspect the insurance company was less than honest in considering your request for benefits, contact our Chicago bad-faith insurance lawyers at Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers at (312) 929-2884. We’re ready to help you.

Our law firm has been taking on powerful Illinois insurance companies on behalf of accident victims and grieving families since 2011. Our award-winning litigators have 30+ years of combined experience and an unrivaled ability to recover top results for deserving clients like you.

Our law firm has won tens of millions in settlements and jury verdicts. Today, we’re here to help you stand up to an insurance company and fight for the benefits you deserve, too. Contact our Chicago, IL, law office to arrange a free consultation.

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How Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help if You’ve Been the Victim of Bad Faith Insurance Practices in Chicago, IL

Insurance companies are powerful. They have considerable resources at their disposal. They’re represented by highly skilled insurance adjusters and defense attorneys. They’ve developed the claims process and know how to manipulate the system to their benefit.

It can be intimidating to accuse an insurance carrier of mishandling your claim for benefits. Fortunately, you’re not in this fight alone.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers are ready to help you prove that the insurance company unfairly denied your claim for benefits. When we file a claim, we’ll demand the benefits originally sought in your claim, as well as damages for the costs and suffering you’ve experienced since your claim was mishandled.

You’ll benefit from the full force and resources of our law firm as we:

Carefully analyze your initial claim for benefits
Identify ways in which the insurance adjuster may have acted in bad faith
Gather evidence that can be used to support a compelling legal claim for damages
Prepare and file all legal claims and documents on your behalf
Represent you during all negotiations with the insurance company
Aggressively pursue a top-dollar verdict at trial if the insurance company refuses to admit to its bad faith practices and extend a fair settlement offer

We appreciate that you’re in a really tough financial situation. You were relying on insurance benefits to help you recover after a serious accident in Chicago. Since they were denied (or underpaid), you’ve been left to deal with the financial burden of your accident on your own.

Our bad-faith insurance attorneys in Chicago want to help, and we want to help without adding to the stress you’re under. That’s why we offer our top-tier legal representation on a contingency fee basis. You pay absolutely nothing for our help unless we win your money for your bad-faith insurance claim.

Give our Chicago law office a call to get started with a free consultation today.

What Is Bad Faith Insurance in Chicago, IL?

An insurance policy is a contract. The policyholder pays premiums and, in exchange, is entitled to money benefits (up to policy limits) in certain situations. The insurance company assumes a legal obligation to consider requests for benefits in good faith.

Good faith, simply put, means considering a claim honestly, fairly, and in a timely manner. If the claim is legitimate, the company has a responsibility to pay a fair amount of benefits within an appropriate timeframe.

Unfortunately, insurance is big business, and companies can make a lot of money by sidestepping their obligations to consider claims in good faith.

When an insurance company intentionally tries to deny a claim, undervalue a claim, or make the claims process more difficult than it needs to be, its practices are considered “bad faith.”

Bad Faith Practices As Defined By Illinois Law

Bad faith insurance practices are actually defined by law in the State of Illinois.

Pursuant to 215 ILCS 5/154.6, any of the following practices, when committed intentionally, can be considered bad faith:

Misrepresenting facts or policy provisions relating to coverage
Failing to acknowledge a claim in a timely manner
Failing to promptly and/or thoroughly investigate a claim for benefits
Not attempting to reach a fair settlement when a legitimate claim is submitted
Offering substantially less than a claim is worth
Refusing to pay claims without conducting a reasonable investigation
Attempting to settle a claim that’s been altered without the claimant’s knowledge
Delaying payment of a legitimate claim
Failing to provide a claimant with necessary forms or documents
Denying a claim without a reasonable justification
Change the terms of a policy after a claim is submitted

Ultimately, any conduct that seeks to deceive the claimant, undervalue a claim, or deny a claim altogether can be considered bad faith.

Are Chicago Insurance Claims Always Denied in Bad Faith?

No, there are legitimate reasons an insurance company might have for denying a claim or extending the claims process.

An insurance company can lawfully:

Deny a claim when there is a legitimate dispute regarding liability
Deny a claim when benefits sought are outside of the scope of the policy
Deny a claim when the claimant is not covered by the policy
Deny a claim when policy premiums have not been paid
Require a claimant to provide additional information or forms to supplement an investigation
Extend the claims process to support an investigation into a request for benefits

As long as the insurance company has a legitimate reason for its actions and acts without the intent to deceive the claimant, it reserves the right to make decisions adverse to the claimant’s interests.

At the Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers, our bad faith insurance lawyers will carefully evaluate how the insurance company handled your claim and determine if its actions were done with the intent to deprive you of rightful benefits.

Decades of Experience Advocating for Clients in All Types of Bad Faith Insurance Cases

Insurance benefits can help to offset the sizable costs of accidents, natural disasters, and health issues. When an insurance company denies a claim in bad faith, it can have ripple effects across your life.

At the Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent clients in bad faith insurance actions involving:

Car insurance
Homeowners Insurance
Health insurance
Business Insurance
Malpractice insurance
Life insurance
Dental Insurance
Liability insurance
Disability insurance
Marine insurance

Whether you’re submitting a first-party claim (with your own personal insurance company) or a third-party claim (with someone else’s insurance carrier), our bad-faith lawyers in Chicago can help you fight for transparency and the rightful payment of benefits. Contact our legal team to discuss the specific details of your bad faith insurance case today.

What Types of Damages Can I Recover in an Illinois Bad Faith Insurance Lawsuit?

When you file a bad-faith insurance lawsuit in Illinois, you’ll have the burden of proving two things.

First, you’ll need to establish that the insurance company refused to cover a legitimate claim or undervalued your benefits.

Second, you’ll have to demonstrate that the insurance company did so knowingly and that their actions weren’t reasonable.

If you can prove these two things successfully, you can potentially recover damages for the value of your initial claim for benefits, attorney’s fees, and other economic costs.

Punitive damages, intended to punish the insurance company for their actions, can also be awarded in some situations.

Count on our Chicago bad faith attorneys to fight to secure all of the damages to which you’re entitled under Illinois state law. We’ll take on the insurance company and demand that they admit their wrongdoing and pay you in full for the costs and suffering you’ve endured.

Is There a Deadline for Filing a Bad Faith Insurance Lawsuit in Chicago, Illinois?

You’ll generally have two years to file a bad faith insurance lawsuit in the State of Illinois.

The two-year clock begins to run on the date the insurance company engages in bad faith practices. However, there are exceptions for some cases; you may have a different amount of time to file a claim in your situation.

Do not let too much time pass by before taking legal action. Once the statute of limitations runs out, you’ll lose the opportunity to hold the insurance company responsible for their underhanded and deceitful practices.

Contact our lawyers as soon as you can to protect your legal rights and determine the statute of limitations for your specific case.

Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Chicago Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer

Do you suspect that a claim for benefits was wrongfully denied after an accident in Chicago, Illinois? Call the Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers. Insurance companies have a legal obligation to consider claims in good faith. Anything less can be considered bad faith and the grounds for legal action.

Our Chicago bad-faith insurance lawyers have the experience and resources you’ll need to take on a powerful insurer and make things right.

Contact our law office in Chicago to learn more about the benefits of working with our award-winning legal team. We are always available to help, 24 hours a day.

Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Chicago, IL

Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers
Address:
134 N La Salle St #2160
Chicago, IL 60602

Phone:
(312) 929-2884

Business Hours:
Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Our personal injury law firm in Chicago, IL, also provides: