Legal Question in Insurance Law in Washington
Consumer rights from there insurance company
My girlfriend got in an accident last Friday, she
was hit on the driver side tire, causing the
entire front wheel axel to fold underneath the car
rendering it totaled. The other driver that hit
her, had the stopsign, and either ranned it or
gunned her car from her stop. This is the tricky
part, they both have the same insurance company
aka:conflict of interest 1 They keep changing
there minds about the apprasial rate by thousands
of dollars. What are my rights, as a consumer
this story has so much more twists and turns.
Help, ple
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Consumer rights from there insurance company
You are exactly right - there is a conflict of
interest. Your girlfriend has two claims:
one is under her own policy for collision, and the
other is a liability claim for property damage
and any personal injury against the other driver.
Appraisal is for the collision claim, and her own
company has to treat her fairly - but they are not
required to sacrifice their own interests.
But on the liability claim, if she has a lawyer he
can pursue the property damage claim along with
an injury claim, because a defendant is liable for
far greater property damages (consequentials such as
economic loss, rentals, etc.) than she has
under her own collision insurance coverage. In other
words, the defendant can be sued for many more
kinds and amounts of damage than your girlfriend
can collect under her own insurance policy.
Steven Murray
Steven W. Murray, APC
16055 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 900
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