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Orlando Insurance Dispute Lawyer

My name is Michael T. Gibson

and I’m here to ensure that Orlando residents have the opportunity to work with insurance disputes attorneys who truly care about their situation. Insurance companies rarely play fair when it comes to resolving insurance claims for Orlando catastrophic injury accidents or Orlando wrongful deaths. It’s important to remember that these companies are in the business to make money off of client premiums.
Each month, you pay your insurance premiums as part of an agreement with your insurance company. This agreement outlines that should you have an auto accident, medical emergency, or catastrophic damage to your home, the insurance company will cover your losses according to the terms of your mutual contract.

While some people are fortunate enough to never need to call upon some of their insurance policies, the peace of mind that you will be protected when you need to be is often worth the price you pay. Unfortunately, however, the insurance company does not always come through with their promise to protect you.

Has an insurance company denied your claim?

The average person has several types of insurance, including health insurance, automobile insurance, and homeowner’s insurance. No matter how fantastic your insurance companies may be, they are notoriously challenging to deal with. When you’ve been in an accident and need help, the last thing you need is for the insurance company to serve as an obstacle.

Insurance disputes litigation can be necessary when your claim is denied, the payment you’ve been offered is too low, or the insurance company drags the process out. You may now find yourself with a significant battle ahead of you to set things right.

As an Orlando lawyer handling denied insurance claims, I want to caution you – the people who try to “go it alone” rarely succeed. Insurance companies have teams of lawyers that are ready to defend the company’s bottom line. As a consumer, you have the right to your own Orlando insurance disputes attorney, and my law firm is here to provide those services.

Practice Areas

What is “bad faith” in insurance disputes litigation?

The term “bad faith” refers to when an insurance claim is wrongfully denied by an insurance company. The guidelines for what is considered a “wrongful” denial differ depending on the state you are in. Florida has specific bad faith insurance laws that must be followed to ensure proper conduct in resolving insurance disputes litigation.

Orlando insurance disputes attorneys such as myself have extensive knowledge of the Florida laws regarding insurance company conduct. We know when a company is engaged in unfair practices and when a lawsuit is necessary. Being an Orlando insurance dispute attorney helps give me continuing experience in negotiations with these companies. Over the years I’ve spotted instances where insurance companies use tricks and fraudulent behavior to under compensate or wrongfully deny my clients’ claims.

My goal from the start is to obtain a fair settlement for my injured client, and sometimes it’s necessary to enter insurance disputes litigation when the insurance company’s conduct prevents me from reaching that goal.

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The Basics of Florida Insurance Disputes

Florida Statute §624.155 outlines the civil remedy laws for when an insurance company is found to be damaging a client during a settlement negotiation. According to the statutes, the following acts are considered to be in bad faith of the insurance contract:

  • Failing to attempt to settle a claim in good faith when the circumstances should have allowed for it.
  • Failing to make a claims payment that is accompanied by a statement that describes the coverage under which the payment is made.
  • Failing to settle a claim when it is it is clear that it should be settled.

Many other actions or failures to act may constitute bad faith as well, such as denying a claim without performing an investigation, misrepresentation of facts, not responding promptly to communications, and more.

Orlando insurance disputes attorneys must act quickly when they have a client whose right to a fair settlement has been violated. The insurance company must be notified of its misconduct and be given a chance to remedy the situation. You have 60 days to file your notice against the insurer before bringing a lawsuit against the insurance company.

When I represent clients in Orlando after denied insurance claims, as their lawyer I typically have the benefit of already knowing the details of their case after having served as their personal injury attorney. Even if your insurance claim was handled by another law firm, my office can be your advocate for bad faith insurance litigation when negotiations or settlements break down.

Are you a victim of insurance company bad faith?

Insurance companies must, as businesses, operate in good faith. This means honoring the agreements that they hold with you, the insured. The agreement works both ways, however, so they will often try to prove that your claim is fraudulent in order to avoid paying you. Fighting these accusations without an Orlando insurance disputes attorney can prove almost impossible, leaving you with significant expenses to cover yourself.

What are some tactics insurance companies try to reduce or deny a settlement?

Here’s a few ways that insurance companies may try to reduce or deny insurance settlements:

  • spying on victims’ social media accounts for information that could be misconstrued as evidence of their injuries;
  • conducting abrupt, rushed recorded statements where the questions are misleading or pressuring;
  • helping trucking companies destroy driver logs and black box evidence before it can be used as evidence in a truck accident claim;
  • forcing claimants to see their approved doctors who may under-diagnose or fail to confirm their injuries;
  • hire their own expert witnesses to disprove or discount the evidence a victim provides to support their claim; and
  • pressure claimants into accepting a low initial settlement by preying on their need for compensation to pay current damages.

Perhaps the most common tactic the insurance companies use to damage victims’ claims is pressuring them to settle for a low amount. After a serious accident where you face large medical expenses and lost wages as you recover, most victims are desperate for financial relief.

The insurance companies know this, and they’ll use that fact to their advantage. The adjuster will happily inform you that their company is willing to pay you a minimal amount – usually to cover your current medical bills. While you may see this as a great relief and a way to get the bill collectors off your back, you may not realize that you’re entitled to much more.

Michael T. Gibson: Experienced Orlando Denied Insurance Claims Lawyer Protecting Honest People Like You

It seems strange to hire Orlando insurance disputes attorneys to protect you from your own insurance company, since these companies ideally exist to protect you. Protecting you when you need it most, such as following aOrlando car accident or a medical emergency, does not include:

  • wrongly denying your claim;
  • paying you an insufficient amount;
  • delaying your payment; or
  • making unreasonable demands for you to fulfill.

Examples like these lead to some of the most common home, health, and auto insurance disputes in Orlando. As a denied insurance claims lawyer, I am well versed in the strategies and tactics that the insurance company will use against you to save money.

Most insurance claims arise after a catastrophic event, meaning your family is most likely in chaos dealing with medical care, time away from work, and trying to keep a normal life situation. You want to rely on your insurance company to remedy your financial woes and help you seek the medical and economical benefits you need to recover – but unfortunately this isn’t always the case.

I don’t like to enter insurance disputes litigation because it’s only prolonging the time it takes for my clients to obtain justice. It’s bad enough that you and your family have suffered injury and losses due to the misconduct of another – you don’t need your insurance company to be negligent in its agreement to compensate you in these events.

My law firm serves clients throughout Seminole, Lake, Osceola, Volusia, Orange, and Polk Counties. Unlike some large law firms that represent both claimants and insurance companies, our small, client-focused firm is dedicated to achieving results for people like you.

Experienced Orlando Insurance Dispute Attorneys

If your Florida insurance claim was denied by an insurance company acting in bad faith, call today for a free case evaluation at the firm’s 24-hour hotline, 1-855-WHAT-NEXT (855-8639). When the insurance company won’t honor your rights as an insured individual seeking rightful compensation, our Orlando insurance disputes attorneys will be there to help.

Michael T. Gibson, P.A., Auto Justice Attorney
2420 S. Lakemont Avenue
Suite 150
Orlando, FL 32814
Phone: 407-422-4529