Slip-and-fall accidents can happen anywhere, including the workplace, a grocery store, a restaurant or any other public place. After you’ve been injured after a slip-and-fall accident, you may find your claim denied by your insurance company.
If you were counting on the compensation for help paying medical bills or replacing your lost wages, a claim denial can be devastating. Fortunately, you still have options.
Before deciding on your next step, it is important to understand why your claim was denied. Your claim may have been denied for various reasons.
You did not establish negligence
You must provide evidence that your slip-and-fall accident was caused by someone else’s negligence. This means you must prove that whoever caused your injury, such as a property owner or your employer, had a duty to provide safe conditions and breached that duty.
Missouri law uses a comparative negligence standard. This means that your amount of compensation might be reduced if it is determined your own negligence contributed to your injuries.
A successful negligence claim can help you recover compensatory damages, which are damages for things like your medical bills or lost wages. You could also request punitive damages, which are designed to punish the other person for their negligent conduct.
You did not provide enough information
Another reason for your claim denial could be that you did not provide enough evidence of your injuries. Negligence also requires proving your damages. This can be done through medical records, doctor reports or photos.
Sometimes, your claim was denied simply because you did not provide enough information. After an initial denial, you can still contact the insurance company and ask them if they need any additional information or try to negotiate with them.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help with the negotiation process; however, if the insurance company continues to refuse to accept the claim, you always have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit.