Filing an Auto Accident Injury Claim With Liberty Mutual
When you’re injured in a car accident involving Liberty Mutual, you may be curious about how to pursue a personal injury claim. The process can be time consuming, and fighting insurance companies over the proper value of a claim can be exhausting without the help of an attorney. Our law firm can help you understand the Liberty Mutual auto claims process, including how to maximize the value of your claim and how to protect your legal rights.
When you work with our law firm, our legal team will handle the claims process, communicate with insurance companies, and handle settlement negotiations on your behalf so you can focus on your physical recovery. We don't get paid unless you get paid, and we offer free legal consultations to people seeking the help of a car accident attorney. Give us a call anytime at 321-LAWSUIT, and we will make sure you get to speak with a lawyer so you can better understand your legal rights.
What Are the Main Components of an Auto Claim with Liberty Mutual?
After a car accident, you will almost certainly have to bring a claim for property damage. If you're injured, you may also need to bring a claim for personal injury. Whether the claim is with Liberty Mutual or some other insurance company, the components are fairly similar.
For an injury claim, the two main components are liability and damages. Liability refers to the fault of the driver that hurt you. Liability could range from a simple mistake to driving under the influence of alcohol. The more culpable the driver's behavior, the more likely the insurance company is to pay a claim rather than push the case to trial.
Damages refers to the losses a person suffers as a result of the other driver's negligence. Some people may only suffer soft tissue injuries, others may suffer broken bones or disc herniations, and others may suffer paralysis. Sometimes, people die as a result of a car crash. Typically, the more severe the injuries, the more money Liberty Mutual will be willing to pay to settle an injury claim.
For property damage, the damages analysis is much more straightforward. Typically, the value of the damage to a vehicle will be determined by an appraiser that assesses the damage and gives a quote for what it will cost to repair the damage.
How Do Liberty Mutual Auto Claims Work for Personal Injury Cases?
For an injury claim, your attorney will send Liberty Mutual a letter of representation. This lets Liberty Mutual know that you're represented by an attorney, and it gives them our information so they don't reach out to you directly. This also triggers them to create a claim with a claim number and assign an insurance adjuster, if they haven't done that already.
While you are getting medical treatment, we gather information from the insurance adjuster, like policy information and any other information they have that we are entitled to. We also give them periodic updates regarding your medical treatment and your progress.
Once you're finished with medical treatment, we can start negotiations with the adjuster for Liberty Mutual to see if they will pay proper value for the claim based on the evidence.
What Can You Be Compensated for in a Car Accident Claim Against a Driver Insured by Liberty Mutual?
People who bring a personal injury claim for injuries they suffered in a car accident can pursue economic and non-economic damages. These are both examples of compensatory damages, meaning damages that are meant to compensate people for what they've lost.
Economic damages are damages that are quantifiable with objective evidence, like receipts or invoices. For example, when someone is injured, they may have emergency medical treatment, ongoing medical treatment, lost wages from missed work, or other costs associated with the crash. These are all examples of economic damages.
Injuries may also cause non-economic damages, like pain and suffering or loss of enjoyment of life. These damages are difficult to quantify because they don't come with an invoice. They must be valued on a case-by-case basis.
In the most extreme cases (think drunk driving), victims may be able to pursue punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish egregious behavior and are only allowed in very rare circumstances.
How Much Will Liberty Mutual Pay for Injuries After an Auto Accident?
Each injury claim is unique and requires a custom evaluation. The insurance company will be working from the beginning of the injury claim to determine which parties are liable and the degree to which they are liable. Additionally, the insurance adjuster for Liberty Mutual will also evaluate your injuries and any ongoing medical treatment to determine how badly you were injured in the crash.
The insurance adjuster will report the information regarding the claim to a supervisor in order to get "authority." In this context, authority simply means a certain amount of money to work with. For example, the adjuster may get authority up to policy limits of $50,000, which means that is the maximum amount they would be willing to pay on the claim.
This does not mean the adjuster will start at that amount. They will typically offer much less and work up to the extent of the authority through negotiations. Eventually, they will have the option of paying a certain amount for the claim, or we will file a lawsuit and force them to assign defense counsel.
The claims process with Liberty Mutual involves communication between their defense team and our attorneys. What they will ultimately pay will depend on the adjusters and lawyers assigned to defend the claim and how these people evaluate the case.
How Do You Get Liberty Mutual to Pay an Auto Injury Claim?
Once both sides have the necessary evidence to evaluate liability and damages, we will usually send a demand for payment, often called a "demand letter." The demand letter is generally the first step to getting Liberty Mutual to take steps toward paying a claim.
In the demand letter, we will explain what happened and our theory of liability, as well as the damages you have suffered. We will also include a demand for payment, which constitutes an offer to Liberty Mutual to settle the case.
Liberty Mutual will review the demand letter and demand for payment, and they will respond in one of three ways:
- Reject the offer;
- Accept the offer;
- Send a counteroffer.
Typically, insurance companies like Liberty Mutual will send a counteroffer, and this will begin the negotiations. Our goal is to get Liberty Mutual to pay you proper value for your claim. However, if they refuse, we can file a lawsuit and proceed into litigation.
Litigation starts when we file a lawsuit. Then, the defense (Liberty Mutual's lawyers) answer the lawsuit. After that, the discovery process begins, where parties answer interrogatories, take depositions, and ask for documents and files.
After some discovery has taken place, generally the parties will engage in mediation, which gives the insurance company another chance to settle the case before proceeding toward trial. However, the defense can settle a case at any point in litigation.
Information You Need for Your Liberty Mutual Auto Injury Claim
There is some common information and evidence an adjuster at Liberty Mutual will need to process your injury claim. Below is some information you should plan to gather for your claim that can help speed up the process and get you the best possible value.
Police Report
The police report helps to document when, where, and how the accident occurred. It also contains information regarding which driver was placed at fault for the accident. The insurance adjuster at Liberty Mutual will almost always want a copy of the police report.
Information of Other Drivers Involved
Make sure you're ready to provide the information of all the drivers and vehicles involved in the accident. The critical information is the name of the drivers, their insurance information, and their vehicle information. Often, most of this information is on the police report, but you can also get a picture of their driver's license, license plate, insurance card, and vehicle.
Witness Information
The insurance adjusters at Liberty Mutual will likely ask for the information of any witnesses to the accident. If there are any witnesses at the scene of the crash, be sure to get their information. You may need it later.
Medical Records and Bills
Make sure to gather all your medical records and bills. The medical records prove the types of injuries you suffered, and the medical bills prove their cost. Typically, insurance companies value accident injury claims based on the medical bills. Accordingly, these documents are very important to your claim.
Steps You Can Take After an Accident to Help Maximize the Value of Your Claim
The steps you take after an auto accident can seriously affect the amount of money you ultimately get for your injury claim. There are several things you can do immediately after a crash to protect your legal rights and help maximize the value of your case:
- Get a police report. Reach out to the authorities immediately after a crash to make sure the police create a crash report. This will serve as proof that the crash occurred, and it will contain other important information, like where the crash occurred, who was involved, and who was placed at fault.
- Gather evidence at the scene of the accident. If possible, take photos and videos of the accident scene, including vehicles, injuries, and road and/or weather conditions. Collect contact and insurance information from the other drivers involved and ask witnesses for contact information.
- Seek immediate medical attention. Even if you’re not in pain after the accident, don’t assume you’re not hurt. The stress of an accident releases pain-masking compounds in your body, so you may not realize you’re injured until days later. See a doctor immediately to avoid missing signs of serious injury and to establish a connection between the accident and your injuries.
- Follow medical instructions. Be sure to follow the instructions your doctors give you and go to your appointments.
- Keep detailed and organized records. Gather all evidence of the accident, including medical records, evidence from the scene, the police report, and pay stubs if you had to miss work.
- Don't post about the crash on social media. The insurance adjusters and insurance defense attorneys are known for searching through people's social media accounts. Do not talk about your crash on social media.
How do I file a claim with Liberty Mutual After a Car Accident?
You can file an auto accident claim through the Liberty Mutual website, or you can use their mobile app. You can also call the Liberty Mutual claims phone number at (866) 903-7357.
Typically, your insurance company requires you to put them on notice of an accident as part of your responsibilities under the insurance coverage agreement. So, you should always reach out to your insurance company after a collision and put them on notice.
Throughout the claims process, you can keep track of and manage your claim through your account. If you're filing against a driver insured by Liberty Mutual, they have a place on their website to create an account for claimants who are filing against one of their customers.
Why Should I Hire an Attorney to Help with my Injury Claim with Liberty Mutual?
It’s easy to make mistakes when dealing with insurance companies, and these mistakes can jeopardize your personal injury claim. Insurance adjusters are trained to get you to make statements that can be misconstrued and used against you later. They also are notorious for offering lowball settlements before people get a lawyer.
When you hire an attorney at our firm, you can protect yourself from insurance adjusters and their underhanded tactics. We will handle all communication with the insurance companies and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Ultimately, it's the threat of a lawsuit, litigation, and trial that makes an insurance company pay proper value for a claim. Without that threat, they will likely make low settlements and delay payment. They are often able to delay people until the statute of limitations passes, and then those people essentially lose their right to any money at all.
Frequently Asked Questions About Liberty Mutual Auto Claims
What is the Phone Number for Liberty Mutual Auto Claims?
The phone number for Liberty Mutual's auto insurance claims department is (866) 903-7357.
How do I make a claim with Liberty Mutual?
You can make a claim with Liberty Mutual on your own by visiting their website or using their mobile app. If you were injured in a car accident and are bringing a personal injury claim through your attorney, it's much more simple. All you have to do is become our client by signing an engagement agreement, and then we will send our letter of representation to Liberty Mutual, which lets them know we are representing you and that they need to reach out to us directly if they have questions.
How does Liberty Mutual pay claims?
Like other insurance companies, Liberty Mutual will assess liability issues and damages to determine the value of a personal injury case. Once a settlement agreement is reached, Liberty Mutual will typically send a settlement check within 20 days of receiving a signed release.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim with Liberty Mutual?
Typically, you need to report your accident as soon as possible to your own insurance company. If you have Liberty Mutual, you need to reach out to them as soon as you can after the crash to let them know the crash occurred. If you're pursuing a personal injury claim, you have two years under the Florida statute of limitations to file a lawsuit. Thus, you can bring your claim anytime within that 2-year period, so long as you don't wait until after the two years has passed to file a lawsuit.
Is Liberty Mutual Insurance good at paying claims?
In our experience, Liberty Mutual is one of the better insurance companies. They tend to pay deserving claims, and they tend to pay proper value, rather than pushing cases to trial. However, they can be thorough and slow to get authority to offer proper value, so the claim can take months or more.