Denver Bad Faith Insurance Attorney
Serving Injured Workers in Colorado
Insurers have a duty to act in good faith or face the possibility of further legal challenges.
We will make sure insurance companies do right by you and your family.
Those monthly insurance premiums take a bite out of your budget. It’s only fair that you get what you pay for – not what the insurance companies want you to have.
Too often, it’s just when you need the support of your insurance company that they don’t hold up their end of the bargain. You may wind up with serious financial problems if insurers refuse to pay your claim, putting you at a serious disadvantage. And their defense can be extremely contentious when the stakes are high.
We’ll always be there for you through the whole process. Every step of the way.
When is an Insurance Company Acting in “Bad Faith”?
All insurance companies in Colorado, including workers’ compensation insurers, are required to act in good faith—meaning they are obligated to properly investigate your claim and pay you benefits entitled to you under your policy if your claim is legitimate.
Before giving examples of bad faith behavior, we should note that you cannot pursue a bad faith lawsuit simply because an insurance company makes a decision you do not agree with. If they followed all the proper procedures and carefully examined your claim but legitimately denied it, you cannot file a bad faith insurance suit against them.
You Might Need a Colorado Bad Faith Insurance Attorney If…
There are various reasons why you would have grounds to pursue a bad faith lawsuit in Colorado. If any of these situations sound like what you’re experiencing with your insurance company, consider seeking help from an experienced Colorado bad faith insurance attorney at The Babcock Law Firm:
- You have waited months to receive a check on an undisputed portion of an insurance claim
- You have waited months to receive your full claim check
- You keep calling to get information on your claim and all you get is the run-around
- Your claim was denied but you never received an explanation for the denial
- You feel as though you’ve been misled or lied to
- The insurer made a decision contrary to what their investigation revealed
- The insurance company is hiding or manipulating evidence
- The insurer is dictating what medical care will be provided to an injured workers’ treating medical providers
- Your benefits were suddenly and unexpectedly cut off in violation of Colorado workers’ compensation law
Insurance disputes are complex from both a legal and procedural standpoint. Winning your case requires a commitment by your lawyer to hard work and dedication to helping you.
Workers’ Compensation vs. Bad Faith Lawsuits
What’s the difference between a workers’ compensation case and a bad faith lawsuit?
Workers’ compensation claims only allow you to obtain certain benefits for economic losses such as medical bills, lost wages and disability. You cannot seek any additional non-economic or punitive damages through a standard workers’ compensation claim, except what’s clearly stated in statute.
Bad faith lawsuits, on the other hand, allow plaintiffs to sue for non-economic damages and ultimately get paid more money.
Take the following scenario for example:
While throwing luggage in and out of cars, a cab driver hurts his back and seeks medical attention. His taxi company’s occupational accident insurance company (another form of workers’ compensation coverage in Colorado) tells him that he’s not entitled to full workers’ compensation benefits—even though the law states that he is. In fact, the insurance company had a workers’ compensation policy in place the whole time but was refusing to pay full benefits to the injured cabbie.
As a result of the insurance company intentionally misleading him, the cabbie had to initially absorb all of the costs associated with his injury. He had to sell valuable possessions and borrow money from friends and family just to stay afloat. All of this financial stress caused him extreme levels of stress and mental anguish.
If the injured cab driver sought workers’ compensation benefits, he could only recover compensation for his medical bills and lost wages. However, this kind of situation would qualify for a bad faith suit since the workers’ compensation insurer misled him without investigating his claim. Therefore, the cabbie could seek compensation for pain and suffering, and even punitive damages.
Who Can Represent Me In a Bad Faith Lawsuit?
If you were injured at work and are already working with a Colorado work injury attorney to obtain your workers’ compensation benefits when you discover the insurer is acting in bad faith, you may have to hire another licensed attorney (from either within or outside of the workers’ comp law firm) to come in and co-counsel the bad faith case.
Rules in Colorado governing how attorneys are supposed to conduct themselves professionally, known as the Rules of Professional Conduct, clearly state that an attorney cannot advocate on someone’s behalf if they’re a “necessary witness” in a case.
Chances are your Colorado workers’ compensation attorney will serve as your primary witness in a bad faith lawsuit. They will have the necessary experience and knowledge to clearly explain why they believe the insurance company acted in bad faith. Under professional conduct rules, he or she cannot fully represent you in both cases and argue on your behalf.
Talk with a Colorado Bad Faith Insurance Attorney Today – a Free, No-Risk Consultation
When going up against big corporate insurance companies with deep pockets, you need a Colorado bad faith insurance attorney who is deeply knowledgeable in these types of cases and ready to commit to the fight if necessary.
The Babcock Law Firm is in your corner, and we have unique experience pursuing justice against greedy corporate America. We know how insurance companies operate. In fact, R. Mack Babcock, our firm’s founder, used to represent these companies before founding a plaintiffs-only firm. Now, he uses this experience and intimate knowledge of how insurance companies operate to help victims of insurance disputes obtain the benefits and settlements they deserve.
If you believe an insurance company has acted in bad faith in handling your claim, we invite you to discuss the details of your Colorado insurance dispute with a lawyer at The Babcock Law Firm. If your case falls within our practice area and we feel our representation can benefit you, a Colorado insurance attorney will meet with you for an in-depth consultation, at no charge.
We are here to help you secure a successful settlement for your bad faith insurance dispute.
Serving Victims of Bad Faith Insurance Across Colorado
From our office in Denver, we represent clients across the state—including in Colorado Springs, Littleton, Boulder, Aurora, Broomfield, Louisville, Lafayette, Lakewood, Golden, Thornton, Westminster, Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins and many other Colorado cities.
