If you were recently involved in an auto accident or if someone was recently hurt while visiting your business, you may find yourself named as a defendant in a lawsuit even if your insurance company offered to settle with the injured party. If you were served with a lawsuit, you may be wondering what you should do now. Follow these tips to navigate the process.

Immediately Contact Your Insurance Company

If you’re served and named as a defendant as the result of an insurance claim or business dispute, contact your insurance company right away. Your insurance company may or may not be named as another defendant. Do not rely on the process server to notify your insurance company. Call the claims representative handling your case and let them know about the lawsuit.

Insurance companies generally appoint an insurance defense lawyer to handle the matter on your behalf. This protects the insurance company and you. Because lawsuits have deadlines associated, you should contact the insurance company to make sure that they know about the lawsuit.

Stay in Contact with the Insurance Defense Lawyer

Once you are notified by an attorney that the insurance company asked them to defend you or once your insurance company sends you a letter or calls to give you the name and information of the insurance defense lawyer, get in contact with that lawyer. Make sure that you stay in contact with the attorney.

The attorney will let you know when and where you should go if there is a deposition, a settlement meeting, or for trial. Make sure that you show up on time.

Gather and Provide the Appropriate Documents

The insurance defense lawyer may contact you and ask you to provide them with a copy of any police report or other documents related to the claim. Do not presume that the insurance company has it and can provide it to the lawyer. It is often more convenient and much faster for the attorney to get that information from you. If you have documents that you think may be helpful, let the attorney know. They will let you know if they need them.

Ask Questions

If you don’t understand what is happening, make sure that you call the insurance defense attorney and ask questions. It is very important that you understand what is going on. Understanding where you are on the legal timeline and what certain things mean can help you make educated decisions.

For more information on how to protect yourself and your financial interests if you are named in a lawsuit, contact the experienced business lawyers at Dennis Law Group today.