At The Gogel Law Firm, our St. Louis personal injury attorney works closely with Missouri injury victims to prove they have a viable case that requires the at-fault party’s insurance company to admit liability and accept responsibility for their policyholder’s negligence.
This is true in car accident cases, slip and fall claims, and even trampoline park injuries.
Here is what you need to know once the insurance company accepts liability for your injuries.
Meeting the Legal Threshold for Liability in Missouri
Before a driver or property owner’s insurance company will admit liability, the representative will investigate how the injury occurred.
That could include uncovering evidence that their policyholder ran a red light and caused the crash that injured our client.
Our car accident lawyer in St. Louis will also investigate the crash to prove fault in an accident, including police accident reports, pictures or other media from the crash, witness testimony, and other types of factual evidence.
Once we can prove the other driver was at fault for the accident, we will then need to establish that our client suffered damages, including medical costs, lost wages, and any additional expenses that may have been paid out of pocket.
Why Do Insurance Companies Contest Personal Injury Damages?
Insurance company representatives work for large corporations that have ongoing protocols for managing personal injury claims. In short, their process is to deny fault of any kind until the injured person — or their attorney — can prove otherwise.
Certainly, if a driver runs a red light and there are witness statements and concrete evidence to support that is true, the insurance company may admit liability.
However, that does not mean it is going to be willing to pay for your complete damages.
Admitting liability is often a strategic move by the insurance representative, so the company can focus its resources on contesting the damages claimed in your case.
The result is usually a low settlement offer or pushes back that your injuries were caused by pre-existing conditions, so they can avoid paying altogether. This is why you should never share your medical records with the insurance company.
If you have encountered an insurance agent that has admitted the company’s policyholder was, indeed, liable for the crash, but then switched gears and started focusing on causation and damages instead, we can help you push back.
Contact our dedicated personal injury attorney in St. Louis at the Gogel Law Firm today and allow us to review your case by calling (314) 370-8173 or contacting us online to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
