Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Jan 18, 2022
NANCY FISHER, Respondent vs. MARCUS FUSCO, Respondent and STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTO INSURANCE CO., Appellant
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, an intervenor in a tort action, appealed the trial court's denial of its motion to enforce a purported settlement agreement between the plaintiff and the defendant. The appellate court dismissed State Farm's appeal, holding that State Farm lacked standing because it was not "aggrieved" by the trial court's ruling. The court reasoned that an insurer's obligation to pay is triggered only after the tortfeasor's liability is established, and thus, the denial of the motion to enforce had no immediate prejudicial impact on State Farm's rights or interests.