The Top Reasons Car Accident Claims are Denied by Insurance Companies and How to Successfully Appeal. Contact The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. Today
Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough, but when your insurance claim is denied, it can feel like an uphill battle. At The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C., we’ve helped countless St. Louis residents fight back against unfair insurance practices. In this post, we’ll cover the top reasons insurance companies deny car accident claims and how you can appeal a denial with confidence.
If you’re dealing with a denied car accident claim, don’t hesitate to contact The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. for a free consultation. Let us help you navigate the appeals process and fight for your rights.
This legal professional has shown exceptional competence and dedication in their field. I highly recommend their services to anyone seeking legal representation that is committed to unwavering advocacy and support throughout the entirety of their case.
I would describe this lawyer as highly educated, sharp, and top of his game. Explains the car accident process and treatment options well. The lawyer said if they don’t pay you, we will have the jury take it from the insurance company. Great lawyer. Dynamic person.
Interviewed all the TV car accident lawyers and decided to call this law firm that had great reviews. So happy I did. What a difference!
Response from the owner: TV car accident lawyers are just mass production. This is not a good fit for litigated cases. Paralegals instead of lawyers. Monthly quotas for settlements. Car accident victims end up in a cattle call with the lawyers on TV.
Love my car accident lawyer. This law firm is a step above.
Response from the owner: Our lawyers train and track the best approaches on cases. Whether litigation in cases or the practicalities of certain treatment, the growth of our lawyers over time is paramount. Always staying ahead of and setting practice trends. Thank you.
Serious family member have a car accident injury? Look no further. This litigator is for real. Always two steps ahead of the other lawyer.
Response from the owner: This is a sad reality for car accident lawyers. The #1 passenger in an auto accident is a relative. Helping a family make it through this and putting the family back together is one of the most rewarding things I do as an automobile accident attorney.
This lawyer handles really big accident cases in St Louis. He is a lawyer, accountant and has his masters in tax so he gets the injury cases for individuals that can never go back to work or individuals own a business and cannot run it due to injury. He specializes in valuations of massive loss. Thank goodness a firm like this exists.
Response from the owner: Thank you. When accident are severe and you lose the ability to work or to continue a business, having an accounting and tax background is key. Valuing large losses are second nature for us.
Asked a trauma surgeon who operates on car accident victims who are the best injury lawyers that have taken his deposition. He said “by far” it was Mr Hoffmann. Interviewed several attorneys and this was a correct assessment. In a league of his own!
Response from the owner: Our attorney have deposed nearly all the trauma surgeons at every Level 1 Trauma Center in Saint Louis. These doctors save lives after a car accident. Whether controlling bleeding or reestablishing blood flow or bone structures, they are life savers.
Few lawyers in St. Louis can handle the biggest injury cases! This is one of them!
Response from the owner: Our law firm has made great efforts in terms of training to handle life changing injury cases. Whether in depth knowledge of the medical, loss of income and earning capacity, or lifetime medical care plans, our clients feel confident and know their case is in good hands. Thank you for the compliment.
Cannot say enough about this lawyer. Call if in an accident. This attorney handles the biggest car accidents in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Ash! Our biggest source of cases is our clients. Our second biggest referral source is defense lawyers telling their relatives to call us. Few lawyers can handle the largest cases. Our law firm welcomes and has trained for this. We don’t do mass production settlement like the lawyers on TV. Our clients can never go back to work. Their cases need massive focus and effort and often long fought litigation.
So glad I called attorney Hoffmann. This time I got it right! So glad I hired the Hoffmann Law Firm - professional, reliable and available.
Response from the owner: Thanks Taylor. Our lawyers answer the phone day, night, weekends and even during lunch. Being professional means training to beat the best defense lawyers. Client rely on us to get results and we do.
Great lawyer. Cares about his clients, knows his stuff and goes the extra mile. I recommend this lawyer for car wreck injury claim. Every other lawyer on TV would not even help with my property claim. This attorney did.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the kind words. Every case starts with a great client. You are correct the car accident lawyers on TV are mass production settlement mills. When injury clients fire them, we get their files and the cases are not worked up at all. Appreciate your confidence in us!
Major car accident injury in St Louis area for a family member. Four different lawyers we know said the same thing - call Chris Hoffmann. On another level.
Response from the owner: This is such a great compliment. Most of our cases come from prior client or lawyers that also do car accidents cases but the particular case is too large or too difficult. Being a lawyer and an accountant, we specialize in cases with total lost of income, earning capacity and/or often the inability to continue a family business. Evaluations such as these are second nature for our lawyers. Thanks.
Best in St Louis for auto accident cases. Nobody else is even close.
Response from the owner: So kind of you to leave this review. Whether our lawyers are going after big insurance or their lawyers, skill and experience are essential and win the day for our auto accident clients. Thanks!
This attorney is very smart, very experienced, returns phone calls and knows the answers when asked. One call and I knew this was a great law firm for auto accidents.
Response from the owner: Our law firm appreciates this. This is a comment we get from so many people who call…”none of the lawyers we called told me all the things that you did.” Whether we take a car accident case or not, helping people is a good thing.
5 Star Lawyer for sure! Best you will find in Saint Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the 5 Star Rating. Reviews like this are great. Injury victims quickly figure out the TV advertisers are not good. We work hard at being the best we can be and it reflects in our representation of car accident victims.
Watch this lawyer in action. Was way better than all the others. Get this lawyer for an automobile accident for sure.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the recommendation. Besides doing cases, our attorneys train for this. Hard work, case knowledge and technique is key to success in car accident litigation.
Very pleased with The Hoffmann Law Firm. Lawyers are attentive, friendly and go the distance to force the settlement you want. The TV lawyers recommend low offers. This law firm gets the maximum.
Response from the owner: We get calls from car accident victims that had to fire the TV lawyers that they hired. They give the same two reasons: 1) they never spoke to a lawyer at the Big TV law firms, only a paralegal, and 2) the paralegal recommended they accept a low offer. At our law firm, you only talk to the lawyer and if an offer is low we tell you to sue. Thanks!
Several lawyers said to call this lawyer because he is the best. You will appreciate this law firm. Helped with the injury and property claims. Attentive and knowledgeable. Great reputation in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Lexi. Our #1 source of cases is other lawyers referring us cases that are too big for them to handle.
Would use this accident law firm. Best in Saint Louis. Highly rated and it shows. After one phone call, you just know this attorney is better. 5 Stars!!
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our lawyers in St Louis. There is a major difference in lawyers as you well know.
Car accident lawyers on tv are not good . Get this attorney ! He is a pro !!
Response from the owner: Thanks Nathan. TV lawyers market for car accidents, use paralegals instead of lawyers and give their employees settlement quotas hence forcing cheap settlements. At our law firm, you get a lawyer who keeps pushing forward for more.
Quality lawyer. Best law firm for a car accident. Advice was way better than other lawyers I called in St. Louis. Helped with property and injury.
Response from the owner: Thanks. The TV lawyer advertisers are just car accident settlement mills. As soon as people call a real attorney, they always tell us how much better and more helpful we were. Appreciate this.
This lawyer is big time. Smooth. The other lawyers on the other side were not nearly as good as this attorney. I recommend friends in St Louis to him for accident injuries and they all say the same thing…”that lawyer is great.”
Response from the owner: Very nice of you to say. Our lawyers work hard on auto accident cases.
Family used this car accident attorney after a crash. Located in St Louis. This lawyer answers the phone and will walk you through the process. Knows his stuff!
Response from the owner: Taking calls, going over the car accident injury and property process is important. Clients that call always say we are the only lawyers that explained everything. Much appreciated.
Tried the lawyers on TV. They were not good. Hired this car accident lawyer instead because he had great reviews. The reviews are correct. This attorney is as good as they get. He does big injury cases that need to be litigated.
Response from the owner: Car accident lawyers on TV do not litigate cases. It is mass production. They have quotas. Local attorneys are best on auto accidents.
Used this attorney for an auto accident. Highly recommend this lawyer in St. Louis. Communicates well.
Response from the owner: Communicating with clients is essential. Taking the client though the car accident claims process is important otherwise major mistakes can occur. It is an effort that we make. Thanks!
Fantastic law firm, I would recommend! Received free consultation related to an auto accident when my parked car was damaged by a baseball. Very supportive advice, these guys are good!
I was in a car accident in St.Louis and hired Chris as my lawyer. He was amazing!!! He helped me every step of the way and was able to get me a great settlement!!!Highly, highly, highly recommend him!
Response from the owner: Each step is important in a car accident. Thanks for recommending us for car accidents injury claims.
Common Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Car Accident Claims
Insurance companies are required to investigate claims fairly and in good faith. However, there are several reasons they might deny a claim, some legitimate and others questionable. Here are the most common reasons:
1. Policy Exclusions
Each insurance policy contains exclusions—specific situations or conditions not covered under the policy. For example:
Accidents involving intentional acts.
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Using a personal vehicle for commercial purposes (like ridesharing) without proper coverage.
What You Can Do: Carefully review your policy to ensure the exclusion applies. If you believe the exclusion was applied incorrectly, you may have grounds to appeal.
2. Lapsed or Canceled Policy
Your claim may be denied if your insurance policy was not active at the time of the accident. This can happen if:
Premium payments were missed.
The policy was canceled before the accident date.
What You Can Do: If you believe your policy was active, provide proof of payment and policy coverage during the time of the accident.
3. Failure to Report the Accident on Time
Most insurance policies require you to report accidents promptly, often within a specific timeframe. Failure to do so can lead to a claim denial.
What You Can Do: If you missed the deadline, explain the reason for the delay. Provide documentation showing you reported the accident as soon as possible under the circumstances.
4. Disputed Liability
Insurance companies may deny your claim if they believe their policyholder was not at fault or if they argue you share responsibility for the accident.
What You Can Do: Gather evidence to support your version of events, including:
Police reports.
Witness statements.
Traffic camera footage. An experienced attorney can help you build a compelling case to challenge the denial.
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!
Claims can be denied if you fail to provide adequate documentation, such as:
Medical records.
Repair estimates.
Proof of lost wages.
What You Can Do: Submit all necessary documents and keep copies for your records. If you’re unsure what’s required, an attorney can help ensure you have all the necessary paperwork.
6. Pre-Existing Conditions
Insurance companies may argue that your injuries were not caused by the accident but instead stem from a pre-existing condition.
What You Can Do: Obtain medical records and testimony from your doctor to prove that the accident exacerbated your condition or caused new injuries.
7. Alleged Fraud or Misrepresentation
If the insurance company suspects fraud—such as exaggerating injuries or damages—they may deny your claim outright.
What You Can Do: Be honest and thorough in your claim. If your claim is denied on these grounds, consult an attorney immediately to defend against any accusations of fraud.
8. No Coverage for the Specific Type of Damage
Some policies may not cover specific types of damage, such as non-physical losses (e.g., pain and suffering) unless you have additional coverage.
What You Can Do: Review your policy and check for any optional coverages, such as comprehensive or uninsured motorist coverage. If you believe the denial is unjustified, you can challenge it.
How to Appeal a Denied Car Accident Claim
Step 1: Understand the Denial
The first step is to review the denial letter from your insurance company. It will explain why your claim was denied and reference specific policy terms. Understanding the reason is crucial for building a strong appeal.
Step 2: Gather Supporting Evidence
Once you know why your claim was denied, gather all relevant documentation to counter the denial, such as:
Accident reports.
Photos or videos of the accident scene.
Medical records.
Repair estimates.
Witness statements.
Step 3: Write a Formal Appeal Letter
Your appeal should include:
A clear explanation of why you believe the denial was incorrect.
Supporting evidence to back up your claim.
References to specific policy language that supports your case.
An attorney can help craft a persuasive appeal letter, increasing your chances of a successful outcome.
Step 4: File a Complaint with the Missouri Department of Insurance
If your appeal is unsuccessful, you can file a complaint with the Missouri Department of Insurance. This agency investigates complaints against insurance companies and can help mediate disputes.
Step 5: Consider Legal Action
If your insurance company continues to act in bad faith or refuses to honor your policy, it may be time to file a lawsuit. Hiring an experienced attorney is crucial at this stage to ensure your case is strong and that your rights are protected.
Why Choose The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C.?
At The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C., we understand the frustration and stress that comes with a denied insurance claim. Our team has over 20 years of experience handling car accident claims and fighting back against unfair insurance practices. We will:
Review your denial and identify the strongest grounds for appeal.
Collect and present compelling evidence to support your case.
Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.
Take your case to court if necessary to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Contact Us Today
Insurance companies deny claims for various reasons, some valid and others not. If your car accident claim has been denied, it’s important to understand your rights and the steps you can take to appeal. With the right strategy and legal support, you can challenge an unjust denial and secure the compensation you deserve.
If you’re dealing with a denied car accident claim, don’t hesitate to contactThe Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. for a free consultation. Let us help you navigate the appeals process and fight for your rights.
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!
