State Farm Car Accident Settlements in Colorado
State Farm At Fault Accident Claims in Colorado
State Farm is one of the largest and most well-known auto insurance companies in the United States. They handle over 97 million polices and accounts, and deal with over a million insurance claims on a yearly basis. If you were injured in a State Farm at fault accident in Colorado, you may have to deal directly with State Farm when pursuing compensation for your injuries and other losses. Dealing with big insurance companies can be complex and confusing. It’s always best to work with an experienced car accident attorney near you who has experience negotiating with State Farm to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Is State Farm Good at Paying Claims and What Percentage Are Paid?
It can be difficult to get exact figures for how often State Farm pays out an insurance claim. If you’re wondering “is State Farm good at paying claims”, according to Fair Settlement their payout percentage is approximately 65.44%. This ranks them 5th best in the country.
Whether State Farm pays a particular claim will depend on factors such as:
- Who was responsible for the accident
- Whether the State Farm policy provides coverage
- The evidence supporting the claim
- The nature and extent of the injuries
- Medical documentation
- Whether State Farm disputes liability or damages
A denied claim does not necessarily mean an injured person has no right to compensation. An experienced Colorado car accident attorney can review the reason for a denial and determine whether additional evidence or legal action may be appropriate.
How Much Is the Average State Farm Accident Claim Worth?
There is no standard State Farm settlement amount. The value of a car accident claim can vary considerably depending on the severity of your injuries, medical expenses, lost income, available insurance coverage, evidence of fault, and how the accident has affected your life.
According to Fair Settlement an average settlement of approximately $133,012 and a median settlement of $52,685. These figures should be treated only as general reference points and not as an indication of what an individual Colorado claim will be worth. The large difference between the average and median also illustrates why averages can be misleading. A relatively small number of catastrophic injury cases involving settlements worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars can substantially increase the overall average.
The value of your State Farm accident claim may depend on factors including:
- The severity of your injuries
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Permanent impairment or disability
- Pain and suffering
- The amount of available insurance coverage
- Whether you share responsibility for the accident
A relatively minor injury claim may be worth substantially less than the reported averages, while an accident involving permanent or catastrophic injuries may be worth significantly more.
Does State Farm Pay for Pain and Suffering?
A Colorado car accident claim can potentially include compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages generally include financial losses for things such as medical expenses and lost income. Non-economic damages compensate an injured person for losses that do not have a straightforward dollar value. These can include:
- Physical pain
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Permanent impairment
- Inconvenience and disruption to everyday life
The amount will depend heavily on the circumstances of the individual case and the evidence demonstrating how the injuries have affected the victim.
Common Mistakes That Can Hurt a State Farm Accident Claim
What you do after an accident can affect both your health and your ability to establish your damages. Some mistakes can also give an insurance adjuster reasons to question the severity of an injury. Common problems include:
- Waiting too long to seek medical attention
- Missing medical appointments
- Failing to follow recommended treatment
- Providing unnecessary recorded statements to the insurer
- Posting details about the accident or your recovery on social media
- Signing documents without understanding what they mean
- Accepting a settlement before understanding your future medical needs
- Failing to document lost wages and other expenses
- Waiting too long to investigate the accident or preserve evidence
Keeping organized records of medical treatment, expenses, missed work, communications with State Farm, and other accident-related losses can help establish the extent of your damages.
How Long Does a State Farm Accident Settlement Take?
While there is no standard timeline for settling a State Farm car accident claim, a relatively straightforward accident involving minor injuries and clear liability might be resolved within several months. A serious injury case can take considerably longer, particularly when the victim is still receiving treatment or the long-term prognosis is uncertain.
Resolving a claim quickly is not always in the injured person’s best interests. It may be necessary to wait until doctors have a better understanding of your prognosis and future medical needs before determining the full value of your damages. That is why it isn’t always prudent to accept the first settlement offer you get from a State Farm claim.
An early offer may arrive before you know the full extent of your injuries, future treatment needs, lost income, or long-term limitations. Accepting an offer and signing a release generally ends your ability to seek additional compensation for that accident. Having a Colorado personal injury attorney review the offer can help you determine whether the proposed settlement reasonably reflects the value of your claim.
What Happens If State Farm Is Not Paying Claims?
If you are dealing with State Farm not paying claims, the insurer may dispute liability, argue that its policyholder did not cause the accident, question whether your injuries resulted from the collision, or raise an issue involving insurance coverage.
Depending on the reason for the denial, additional evidence may help challenge the insurer’s position. This could include medical records, expert testimony, witness statements, photographs, video footage, vehicle data, or accident reconstruction evidence.
If a reasonable settlement cannot be reached, filing a personal injury lawsuit may be necessary to pursue compensation.
Contact a Colorado Car Accident Lawyer About Your State Farm Claim
If you were injured in a State Farm at fault accident, you do not have to assume that the insurance company’s initial evaluation accurately reflects what your case is worth. The Law Office of Rodemer | Kane can review the circumstances of your accident, investigate liability, document your damages, communicate with State Farm, negotiate for a fair settlement, and pursue your claim in court when necessary.
Before accepting a settlement or signing away your right to pursue additional compensation, speak with an experienced Colorado car accident attorney near you about your options. Contact The Law Office of Rodemer | Kane today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your potential State Farm car accident settlement.