Missouri is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash, through their insurance, is responsible for the harm it caused: medical bills, lost wages, the cost of what you can no longer do, and the pain of it. Missouri also uses comparative fault, which means the insurer will try to put a share of the blame on you to shrink the number.
Those two rules shape everything about a car accident claim here. Proving fault clearly and documenting the injury completely are the whole game.
What a car accident claim can include
A claim is more than the emergency room bill. Missouri law allows recovery for what the crash cost you and what it took from you.
- Medical care, past and future, including physical therapy and follow-up.
- Lost wages, and lost earning ability if you can't return to the same work.
- Vehicle damage and the cost of a rental while yours is repaired.
- Pain, suffering, and the loss of things you used to be able to do.
- In a fatal crash, a wrongful death claim by the family.
Deadlines in Missouri
Missouri gives you five years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, which is longer than most states. That deadline is not the problem. The problem is that evidence and witnesses don't wait five years, and insurers count on people assuming they have plenty of time.
Claims involving a government vehicle, a drunk driver, or an uninsured driver each have their own extra steps and shorter notice windows. We'll flag those on the first call.