West Palm Beach Insurance Bad Faith Lawyer

Bad faith is the failure to act within the terms of a contract. For an insurance company, this may mean a failure to promptly or properly defend or pay a claim. Dealing fairly with customers is the duty of any insurance company, giving more consideration to its insured customers than to its own interest. Failure of an insurance company to honor the terms of its contract may mean that customers who have been slighted can file a claim for bad faith. Under law, an insurance company must investigate all claims and seek out information regarding anything that might support their customers claim.

The language of insurance contracts reflects current case law. One implication of this is that terms which seem self-evident to the insured may actually have special meanings and interpretations to the insurance company and not to the insured. Due to this, all insurance contracts are interpreted in court to define carrying out the reasonable expectations of the insured party. The contract will be examined; its meaning must be clear and unmistakable to all involved. Generally, interpretation of any terms which are not clear will be to the benefit of the insured. There is no burden for proof that the company intended to cause harm, only for failure to honor the agreement.

If you or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, call The Law Offices of Casey D. Shomo at (561-659-6366) or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.