How Much Are Most Car Accident Settlements In Missouri?

Sansone & Lauber | | Car Accidents

After a serious crash in St. Louis, one of the first questions most people ask us at Sansone & Lauber is: “What is the average settlement for a car accident?”

It’s a fair question. You’re hurt, medical bills are piling up, and the insurance company is circling with offers that may or may not cover even a fraction of your losses.

The truth is this: there is no single “average” that applies to every case. The value of your car accident settlement depends on your injuries, the insurance coverage available, and how aggressively your lawyer fights for you.

At Sansone & Lauber, we’ve been standing up for injured Missourians since 2003—winning millions in verdicts and settlements, including a record $14.2 million motorcycle accident verdict.

We’ve seen firsthand how car accident settlements in Missouri are calculated—and how insurance companies try to cheat victims out of fair compensation.

This guide will cover:

  • The average settlement amounts for car accidents in Missouri

  • The factors that determine case value

  • How insurance companies operate in St. Louis

  • Real-world case examples

  • Why having a St. Louis car accident lawyer changes everything

What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement in Missouri?

Across the U.S., most car accident settlements land somewhere between $15,000 and $45,000. In Missouri, we see a similar range—but in St. Louis, where crashes are often severe due to high-speed interstates like I-64, I-70, and I-44, settlements frequently trend higher.

Why?

  1. Medical costs in Missouri keep rising – Emergency care at Barnes-Jewish, Mercy, or SSM Health can easily push bills into six figures.

  2. Serious wrecks on interstates and city streets – From chain-reaction pileups downtown to dangerous intersections like Kings highway & Natural Bridge, St. Louis roads produce severe collisions.

  3. Missouri’s pure comparative fault system – Unlike Texas or California, Missouri allows recovery even if you are mostly at fault. If you’re 80% responsible, you can still recover 20% of damages.

At Sansone & Lauber, our cases have ranged from tens of thousands for minor injuries to millions for catastrophic injury cases.

What Determines Settlement Value?

Every car accident case is unique, but the same core factors typically drive settlement numbers.

1. Severity of Injuries

  • Minor: whiplash, sprains → $10k–$25k

  • Moderate: broken bones, herniated discs → $50k–$250k

  • Severe: brain trauma, paralysis → $500k–millions

2. Medical Costs

Your settlement must account for:

  • ER visits and hospital stays

  • Surgeries

  • Prescription meds

  • Ongoing therapy and rehab

  • Long-term or future medical care

3. Lost Income and Loss of Future Earnings

If your injuries kept you out of work—or prevent you from returning to your career—you’re entitled to:

  • Lost wages

  • Diminished earning power

  • Permanent disability compensation

4. Pain and Suffering

This is often the largest part of a settlement. Missouri law recognizes compensation for:

  • Physical pain

  • Emotional trauma

  • PTSD, anxiety, or depression

  • Loss of enjoyment of life

5. Property Damage

While smaller than injury damages, car repairs or replacement are factored in.

6. Fault and Missouri’s Pure Comparative Negligence Rule

Missouri law allows recovery even if you’re 99% at fault. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. Example: $100,000 settlement at 30% fault = $70,000 recovery.

7. Insurance Policy Limits

Missouri requires minimum coverage of only $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident. That often isn’t enough, which is why our attorneys investigate employer liability, umbrella policies, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Insurance Company Tactics in Missouri

Insurance companies in Missouri use the same playbook across the board: pay as little as possible, as fast as possible.

We regularly see:

  • Quick lowball offers right after the crash

  • Denials that injuries were accident-related

  • Claims that medical treatment was “excessive”

  • Delays designed to pressure you into settling cheap

  • Blaming victims for partial fault under Missouri law

Without a tough St. Louis accident attorney, many victims walk away with settlements 50–70% lower than what their case is worth.

How Sansone & Lauber Maximizes Settlements

Here’s how our firm gets results that stand out in Missouri:

  1. Relentless investigation – police reports, witness testimony, accident reconstruction, medical records.

  2. Medical partnerships – ensuring your injuries are fully documented for maximum compensation.

  3. Calculating future damages – not just today’s bills, but tomorrow’s surgeries and lost income.

  4. Aggressive negotiation – refusing to settle for lowball offers.

  5. Trial readiness – insurance companies know we’ll take them to court, and that increases settlement offers.

Real Case Results

Here are examples of verdicts and settlements our firm and others in Missouri have achieved:

  • $14.2 Million – Jury verdict for motorcycle accident victim with catastrophic injuries

  • $1.5 Million – Car accident with traumatic brain injury

  • $300,000 – Rear-end crash with spinal disc injury

  • $80,000 – Intersection collision with whiplash and soft tissue injuries

These cases prove one thing: having the right lawyer makes a massive difference in outcome.

FAQs About Car Accident Settlements in Missouri

What is the average settlement for a car accident in Missouri?

Most cases resolve between $15,000 and $45,000, but severe cases go much higher.

How long does it take to get a settlement?

Anywhere from a few months to 2+ years, depending on treatment and insurance disputes.

Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer?

Almost never. First offers are designed to protect the insurer—not you.

What if the at-fault driver is uninsured?

We can pursue claims under uninsured motorist coverage, which is mandatory in Missouri.

Why Hire Sansone & Lauber?

Since 2003, Sansone & Lauber has built a reputation as aggressive trial lawyers who don’t back down from insurance companies.

  • Proven results – including multimillion-dollar verdicts

  • Decades of combined experience in Missouri injury law

  • Focused exclusively on injury and accident cases

  • No upfront fees – we only get paid if we win for you

When your health, your family, and your financial future are at stake, you need more than a lawyer—you need trial warriors who know how to win.

Conclusion: Don’t Settle for Less Than You Deserve

If you’ve been injured in a St. Louis car accident, don’t let the insurance company dictate what your case is worth. Settlements are determined by injuries, fault, and strong legal advocacy—and without the right lawyer, you could leave life-changing money on the table.

At Sansone & Lauber, we’ve fought—and won—against the toughest insurance companies in Missouri.

Whether your case is worth $20,000 or $14 million, we fight relentlessly until you get every dollar the law allows.

📞 Call Sansone & Lauber today for a FREE consultation at (314) 863-0500.