Can my car insurance co. assign a lawyer to represent me in court without my knowledge or consent?
I was in a car accident which was my fault. I only had liability ins and the guy I hit had full coverage, now, his claim was for ,000 but my ins only covers me for ,000. this is where it gets complicated (stay with me) His insurance company has now bought out my insurance company. Now theres a lawyer (her secretary and also the investigative firm she hired) calling me and coming to my house telling me that my insurance has assigned this lawyer to me who lost contact with me before the trial, now there is a judgment against me and she is supposed to help me…I’m not a lawyer or anything but isn’t that a conflict of interest? and I never had any knowledge of any lawyer or even of a court date and definitely did NOT consent or sign any agreement to have a lawyer. Please give me any advice or insight you might have, All this seems very suspicious to me
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2 Responses to “Can my car insurance co. assign a lawyer to represent me in court without my knowledge or consent?”
I don’t understand why you are objecting to a lawyer (" and she is supposed to help me…") representing and protecting you against a judgment against you because it is obviously for over the $10,000. limit. Normally you would have to provide your own lawyer for any suit above your policy limits. Why not ask this lawyer, how she can protect you when she is working for both sides? I suspect that you will find that there are other very good reasons for her representing you If you are suspicious, you can always hire your own lawyer.
You actually did sign consent to have a lawyer appointed for you when you signed your policy application. On an auto policy, you generally consent to have your company defend or pay any claims as they see fit. They are obligated to act in good faith and in your best interests.
Although this situation of one company buying out the other is a twist I’ve never encountered, and there are lots of details of the case not in your question, the part about agreeing to let the company take charge in handling claims as they see fit is usually page 1 of your policy.