Injured After Being Hit By A Car While Walking In St. Louis?

Sansone & Lauber | | Pedestrian Accident Articles
Injured After Being Hit By A Car While Walking In St. Louis

Across Missouri, and particularly in the St. Louis metro, pedestrian crashes have climbed every year. Wide roadways like Grand Boulevard, Natural Bridge, and South Kings highway encourage higher speeds; add distracted drivers and limited crosswalk visibility, and you get devastating outcomes.

When a pedestrian is struck, the human body takes the full impact. Victims often suffer catastrophic injuries — brain trauma, spinal damage, fractures — that alter life permanently.

That’s why Sansone & Lauber, a leading St. Louis pedestrian accident law firm, fights to hold negligent drivers accountable and recover the compensation injured walkers need to rebuild their lives.

First Steps After Being Hit by a Car in St. Louis

If you’ve been hit while walking, every decision you make in the first hours matters — for both your health and your legal case.

  1. Call 911 immediately.
    Request police and EMS. Missouri accident reports form the foundation of your future claim.

  2. Get medical care right away.
    Even if you can stand, unseen internal injuries are common. Go to Barnes-Jewish, Mercy, or another trauma-certified ER.

  3. Document everything.
    Snap photos of the vehicle, your injuries, crosswalk signals, and road conditions. Write down witnesses’ names and numbers.

  4. Avoid giving detailed statements to insurers.
    They’ll record and twist your words. Speak to a St. Louis pedestrian injury attorney first.

  5. Preserve clothing and shoes.
    They can prove impact direction and speed later through forensic analysis.

How Missouri Law Determines Fault in Pedestrian Accidents

Missouri follows pure comparative fault. That means you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault — your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.

Key factors that determine liability:

  • Right-of-way rules:
    Under RSMo § 300.375, drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections.

  • Driver negligence:
    Speeding, texting, intoxication, or ignoring signals dramatically increases fault.

  • Pedestrian conduct:
    If you crossed mid-block, we examine lighting, traffic distance, and driver reaction time to minimize any claimed comparative negligence.

  • Dangerous roadway design:
    The City of St. Louis or MoDOT can share blame if poor lighting, broken signals, or faded markings contributed.

Our firm uses reconstruction experts and traffic engineers to prove who truly caused the crash — not who the insurance company blames.

Common Injuries After Being Hit While Walking

Pedestrian injuries differ from car-to-car crashes because there’s no protection. We regularly see:

  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions

  • Spinal cord injuries and herniated discs

  • Pelvic and leg fractures

  • Torn ligaments (ACL, meniscus, rotator cuff)

  • Internal bleeding or organ damage

  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement

  • Post-traumatic stress and anxiety

These injuries often require months of treatment and can end a career. That’s why you need a St. Louis pedestrian accident attorney who understands both the medicine and the law.

Damages You Can Recover Under Missouri Law

Your case value depends on your injuries and the insurance coverage available. Missouri allows recovery for:

  • Medical expenses (past and future)

  • Lost income and loss of future earning capacity

  • Pain and suffering

  • Permanent disability or disfigurement

  • Loss of enjoyment of life

  • Wrongful death damages (for families of fatal victims)

Insurance companies often try to settle before the full scope of your injuries is known. At Sansone & Lauber, we never let clients accept pennies on the dollar.

Deadlines That Can Destroy a Missouri Pedestrian Claim

  • General statute of limitations: 5 years from the accident date.

  • Claims against a government entity: only 90 days to give written notice under the Missouri Tort Claims Act.

  • Wrongful death claims: 3 years.

Because evidence fades fast and deadlines differ, calling a pedestrian accident lawyer in St. Louis right away is essential.

Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accidents in St. Louis

Sadly, St. Louis ranks among the worst U.S. cities for hit-and-runs. If a driver fled:

  • File a police report immediately.

  • Your own uninsured-motorist (UM) policy can still cover you.

  • We can often track the vehicle using camera footage or license-plate readers.

  • Missouri’s Crime Victims Compensation Fund may help with medical bills.

Never assume you’re out of options — even with an unidentified driver.

How Sansone & Lauber Build Strong Pedestrian Cases

  1. On-scene investigation – We photograph, measure, and map the crash area within days.

  2. Expert reconstruction – Engineers analyze speed, braking distance, and visibility.

  3. Medical proof – We work with neurologists and orthopedic specialists to link injuries directly to impact forces.

  4. Economic analysis – Vocational experts calculate lost wages and future earning capacity.

  5. Insurance pressure – We prepare each case for trial so adjusters see we’re serious about winning.

Our preparation consistently leads to high-value settlements and verdicts for injured Missourians.

Special Case Types We Handle

Crosswalk & Intersection Collisions

We analyze light timing, pedestrian signals, and driver turning behavior to show exactly how negligence occurred.

Parking Lot and Driveway Accidents

Private-property crashes involve different insurance layers; we identify every liable party.

Rideshare and Delivery Driver Impacts

Uber, Lyft, and Amazon drivers carry commercial coverage that can multiply available compensation.

Fatal Pedestrian Accidents (Wrongful Death)

Families can recover for lost support, companionship, and funeral expenses under Missouri law.

Government Negligence Claims

When poor design or maintenance causes a dangerous crosswalk, we pursue claims against the City of St. Louis or MoDOT.

Why Choose Sansone & Lauber

  • Decades of Missouri courtroom experience

  • Multi-million-dollar recoveries for injured pedestrians

  • Direct access to your attorneys, not case managers

  • Aggressive negotiation and trial readiness

  • No fees unless we win

We’ve recovered over $14.2 million for a motorcycle client and millions more for injured pedestrians and auto victims across Missouri. Insurance companies know we mean business.

St. Louis Neighborhoods Where Pedestrian Crashes Happen Most

  • Downtown St. Louis and Washington Avenue Entertainment District

  • Central West End & Forest Park Avenue

  • South City along Gravois, Chippewa, and Kings highway

  • North St. Louis along Natural Bridge and Goodfellow

  • Clayton, Brentwood, Maplewood, and University City corridors

  • St. Charles and I-70 service roads

If you were hit anywhere in the metro, we can help.

FAQs: Missouri Pedestrian Injury Claims

Q: Can I still recover if I crossed outside a crosswalk?
A: Yes. Missouri’s pure comparative fault means you can still recover damages even if partly at fault. We prove the driver had the final chance to avoid the crash.

Q: How much is my pedestrian accident case worth?
A: It depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost income, and pain level. We calculate both economic and non-economic losses with experts.

Q: What if the driver was uninsured or fled?
A: You may claim through your own auto policy’s UM/UIM coverage or Missouri’s victim fund. We handle all paperwork.

Q: How long do pedestrian claims take in St. Louis?
A: Anywhere from a few months to a year or more, depending on medical treatment and whether litigation is needed.

Q: Why hire a lawyer if the driver admitted fault?
A: Insurers may still minimize payouts or delay settlement. A lawyer ensures you receive full value for current and future losses.

Local Resources for St. Louis Pedestrian Victims

  • St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department – Accident Reports

  • Barnes-Jewish Hospital Trauma Center

  • Mercy Hospital St. Louis – ER and Orthopedic Care

  • St. Louis Circuit Court – Civil Filing Information

  • Missouri Department of Transportation – Crash Data Portal

Listing these resources not only helps readers but strengthens local SEO authority.

Ready to Take Action?

If you or someone you love was hit by a car while walking in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri, don’t face the insurance companies alone. Evidence fades, videos get deleted, and deadlines approach fast.

Call Sansone & Lauber now for a free consultation at 314-863-0500.

We’ll investigate, preserve evidence, and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. You pay nothing unless we win.