If you were injured at someone else’s house in Bakersfield, recovering your losses will most likely involve filing a claim under that person’s homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners insurance typically provides coverage for slip and fall injuries and other accidents.
If you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property, it’s important to know your rights. With more than 37 years of distinguished experience, personal injury attorney Mickey Fine has built a reputation for excellence in a variety of cases involving negligent property owners. He can explain your rights and discuss all of your legal options.
Following an injury at another’s home or property, your first step should be to contact our experienced attorney at the Law Offices of Mickey Fine. He knows the tactics used by insurance companies to offer less than you deserve for your injuries, or deny a valid claim. It is in your best interests to entrust your lawyer to communicate and negotiate with insurers.
That being said, here are some steps to consider when filing a claim against someone else’s homeowner’s insurance.
1. Obtain the Homeowner’s Insurance Information
If possible, you should ask for the homeowner’s insurance information at the time you get injured. If this is not possible, you can ask later if you were injured at a friend’s or family member’s home; or, you can rely on your attorney to obtain the homeowner’s insurance information for you. But, in order to file a claim, you will need to know which insurance company to contact, and you need to be able to provide the policy number under which you are seeking coverage.
2. Contact the Homeowner’s Insurance Company
After obtaining the homeowner’s insurance information, your next step is to contact the homeowner’s insurance company. You will most likely need to go through a series of prompts on the phone, but you should eventually be able to speak with a claims representative.
Once you get through to the claims representative, provide the details of your accident—and nothing more. Stick strictly to the facts. Do not make assumptions, do not exaggerate what happened, and do not let the claims adjuster talk you into saying that you may be responsible for your own injuries. Again, your attorney is best suited to handle this step for you.
3. Follow Your Doctor’s Medical Advice
Since you’re thinking about filing a claim against someone else’s homeowners insurance, we will assume that you have already seen a doctor (if you have not seen a doctor, you should do so right away). When you have a premises liability claim against someone’s homeowner’s insurance, it is extremely important that you follow your doctor’s medical advice. Go to all of your appointments, get your lab work done, fill any prescriptions your doctor provides, and make sure you know the next steps in your recovery.
4. Keep Your Records, and Keep Your Claim to Yourself
As you accumulate medical records related to your injury, keep them in a file that you can share with your attorney. Additionally, while you may want to talk about your accident with your friends and family or online, right now it is best if you keep all information regarding your claim to yourself. You can talk about what happened when the time is right, but right now you need to be careful to avoid saying or posting anything that the insurance company might try to use against you.
5. Get Help from a Bakersfield Premises Liability Attorney
Seeking coverage under someone else’s homeowners insurance involves filing a claim based on the law of premises liability. Under California’s premises liability laws, homeowners have a legal obligation to keep their homes’ interiors and exteriors reasonably safe for visitors and guests. This can include taking measures to prevent slip and fall accidents or attacks from dangerous dogs. As a result, in most cases, securing coverage involves proving that the homeowner overlooked a safety hazard or made some other mistake that entitles you to financial compensation.
In order to prove your right to coverage, you will need help from an experienced Bakersfield premises liability attorney. There are a lot of complexities and nuances involved in filing a claim against someone else’s homeowners insurance, and you will need experienced legal representation. Your attorney can also determine how much you are entitled to recover, and your lawyer can use all available legal means to help you recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Call Our Bakersfield Premises Liability Attorney Today
Do you need to seek coverage under someone else’s homeowners insurance policy? If so, we encourage you to contact the Law Offices of Mickey Fine today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your claim.
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To speak with Bakersfield premises liability attorney Mickey Fine, please call (661) 333-3333 or contact us online.