What to Do After a Car Accident in Missouri

Start with safety, medical care, and a reliable record

1. Move to safety and call 911. If possible, move out of traffic without leaving the scene. Request police and emergency medical help. Follow the dispatcher’s directions and do not move anyone who may have a serious neck or back injury unless immediate danger requires it.
2. Exchange identifying and insurance information. Collect the other driver’s name, address, phone number, driver’s license, license plate, insurer, and policy information. Photograph the insurance card rather than relying on handwritten notes.
3. Document the scene. Photograph vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, debris, traffic signals, road conditions, nearby businesses, and visible injuries. Capture both close details and wide views that show the layout.
4. Identify witnesses. Ask independent witnesses for their contact information. A neutral account may become important if the drivers disagree later.
5. Give facts—not conclusions. Cooperate with law enforcement, but do not speculate about speed, distance, fault, or injuries. Stress and adrenaline can make early assumptions unreliable.
6. Get timely medical attention. Some injuries are not obvious at the scene. Seek evaluation when symptoms arise, follow treatment instructions, and tell each provider that the condition followed a motor-vehicle collision.
7. Notify the insurers. Report the collision promptly under the applicable policies. Before giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer or signing a broad authorization, consider getting legal advice.
8. Preserve the paper trail. Keep the crash report number, photographs, repair estimates, towing bills, medical records, wage-loss documentation, receipts, and every insurance letter or email.

Missouri is an at-fault state, but fault may be divided

The person whose negligence caused a Missouri crash may be responsible for resulting losses. Negligence can include speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, impaired driving, or failing to yield. Evidence—not the loudest accusation at the scene— determines liability.

Missouri uses pure comparative fault. If more than one person contributed to the crash, fault may be assigned by percentage and the injured person’s recovery may be reduced by their share. That makes objective evidence such as video, vehicle data, photographs, witness statements, and the crash report especially important.

Minimum insurance may not be enough for a serious injury

Missouri requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. Those limits can be exhausted quickly when a crash causes surgery, a long absence from work, or injuries to several people.

Missouri automobile policies must also provide uninsured motorist bodily-injury coverage at statutory minimum limits. This coverage may become important when the at-fault driver has no insurance or in some hit-and-run situations. Underinsured motorist coverage is a separate policy issue, so review the declarations page and endorsements rather than assuming what applies.

The insurance adjuster does not decide the full value on day one

An early settlement offer may arrive before the diagnosis, treatment plan, lost wages, and long- term effects are clear. Once a release is signed, the claim is ordinarily over—even if additional treatment becomes necessary. Before resolving the claim, make sure the medical picture, available coverage, liens, and all potentially responsible parties have been evaluated.

Recoverable losses may extend beyond the repair bill

• Medical care. Ambulance, hospital, therapy, medication, and supported future treatment.
• Income losses. Missed wages and, when supported, reduced earning capacity.
• Pain and life disruption. Physical pain, disability, and loss of normal activities.
• Property and out-of-pocket costs. Vehicle damage, towing, rental expenses, and other documented losses, subject to the facts and coverage.

The general deadline is not a reason to delay

Missouri Revised Statutes section 516.120 generally provides five years for many personal-injury actions, but exceptions and shorter deadlines can apply. Claims involving a public vehicle or governmental entity may carry special notice requirements. More importantly, dashcam footage, surveillance video, vehicle data, and witness memories can disappear long before a lawsuit deadline arrives.

Talk with Williams Law about your Missouri injury claim

Call 888.249.9901 or visit www.williamslawusa.com for a consultation. Personal-injury matters are handled on a contingency basis: no attorney's fee unless there is a recovery.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Results depend on the facts of each matter.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Legal references

• Missouri Department of Insurance — automobile insurance
• Missouri Department of Revenue — mandatory insurance FAQs
• Missouri Revised Statutes § 516.120 — five-year actions
• Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11 (Mo. banc 1983)