What Should I Do After Being Injured In A Car Accident In Missouri?

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What Should I Do After Being Injured In A Car Accident In Missouri

What Should I Do After Being Injured In A Car Accident In Missouri?

If you were injured in a Missouri car accident, the most important next steps are: get medical care immediately, document the crash and your injuries, avoid insurance-company traps (especially recorded statements), and call Sansone & Lauber at 314-863-0500 right away—because waiting hurts your case and the sooner you call, the sooner we can start protecting your claim.

Insurance companies start building defenses fast. They look for gaps in treatment, missing evidence, and statements they can twist into “partial fault” arguments. Missouri’s rules matter too: Missouri follows pure comparative fault, meaning your compensation can be reduced by your percentage of fault rather than barred outright in many cases—so insurers often fight hard to push blame onto you.

This guide is written for injured people across Missouri—especially St. Louis and the surrounding areas—who want clear steps to protect their health, preserve evidence, and pursue maximum compensation.

📞 FREE consultation: 314-863-0500
Don’t wait. Waiting hurts your case. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help you.

What should I do next after an injury crash in Missouri?

If you’re injured in a Missouri car accident, you should:

  1. call 911 and get medical help,

  2. make sure a crash report is created,

  3. take photos/video of the vehicles, scene, and injuries,

  4. collect witness info and identify nearby cameras,

  5. get evaluated by a doctor the same day (or ASAP) and follow through with treatment,

  6. don’t give recorded statements to the other driver’s insurer, and

  7. contact a Missouri car accident lawyer quickly to preserve evidence and pursue full compensation.

Call Sansone & Lauber now: 314-863-0500

Step-by-step: What to do immediately after a Missouri car accident

Step 1 — Call 911 and prioritize your safety

If you’re injured (or think you might be), call 911. Request medical help and law enforcement. Even if the crash feels “minor,” injuries often appear later—especially neck, back, and head injuries.

If it’s safe to do so:

  • move out of traffic

  • turn on hazard lights

  • wait for police/EMS

  • do not argue about fault at the scene

📞 314-863-0500 — Call Sansone & Lauber now. Don’t wait.

Step 2 — Get medical care immediately (same day if possible)

This is one of the biggest case-value issues.

Car crash injuries that commonly worsen over 24–72 hours:

  • whiplash and soft tissue injuries

  • herniated discs / nerve compression

  • concussion symptoms (headache, dizziness, nausea, brain fog)

  • shoulder and knee injuries from bracing

  • fractures and ligament tears

  • anxiety/PTSD and sleep disruption after the crash

Insurance companies attack delays. They’ll argue you weren’t really hurt—or that something else caused it. Getting evaluated quickly protects your health and creates the medical timeline your claim needs.

📞 314-863-0500 — The sooner you call, the sooner we can help you.

Step 3 — Photograph everything (your evidence advantage)

Take photos/video of:

  • both vehicles (all angles)

  • license plates

  • close-ups of damage

  • skid marks, debris, lane markings

  • traffic signals / stop signs

  • weather, lighting, and visibility

  • your injuries (and again over the next several days as bruising develops)

Why this matters: adjusters love “low impact” arguments (“not much damage = not much injury”). Photos help shut that down and preserve the scene before it changes.

Step 4 — Get witness information and look for cameras

Witnesses and video can decide your case.

Collect:

  • witness name + phone number

  • a one-sentence summary of what they saw

Look for:

  • business security cameras

  • parking lot cameras

  • home doorbell cameras

  • dashcams from other vehicles

Video gets overwritten fast. If you wait, the best proof may disappear.

📞 314-863-0500 — Call now so evidence can be preserved.

Step 5 — Exchange information (but keep it professional and minimal)

Get:

  • driver name and contact info

  • insurance company + policy info

  • vehicle make/model

  • plate number

Avoid:

  • apologizing

  • guessing

  • admitting anything

  • saying “I’m fine”

Even “I’m okay” gets used against you later.

Step 6 — Notify your insurer (but avoid the other side’s traps)

You typically should report the crash to your own insurer promptly. But be careful with the other driver’s insurer.

Do not give a recorded statement just because an adjuster asks. Recorded statements are often used to:

  • push partial blame onto you

  • minimize injuries before diagnosis

  • lock you into wording you’ll regret later

Let your medical records and evidence speak—on your terms.

📞 314-863-0500 — Call Sansone & Lauber before you give any recorded statement.

Missouri fault rules: what “comparative fault” means for your payout

Missouri adopted pure comparative fault in tort cases through the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision in Gustafson v. Benda, explaining that cases should be retried based on comparative fault and that Missouri would apply a pure comparative fault approach.

What that means in real life

Insurance companies try to assign you a percentage of fault—because every percent reduces what they pay.

Example:

  • Total damages: $100,000

  • Insurer argues you’re 20% at fault

  • Your recovery could be reduced accordingly (to $80,000)

So the fight becomes:

  • proving the other driver’s negligence, and

  • blocking blame-shifting tactics

📞 314-863-0500 — Call now. Waiting gives insurers leverage.

Common Missouri crash scenarios (and what evidence matters most)

Rear-end collisions

Usually strong liability against the rear driver—but insurers may claim:

  • “sudden stop”

  • “no brake lights”

  • “you merged too late”

Key proof:

  • photos of vehicle positions and damage

  • witness statements

  • dashcam footage

  • consistent medical timeline

T-bone / intersection collisions

Often turns on:

  • signal timing

  • right-of-way

  • witness/video proof

Highway crashes (I-70, I-64, I-44, I-55 and beyond)

Common issues:

  • unsafe lane changes

  • speeding/following too closely

  • distracted driving

  • chain-reaction collisions with multiple drivers

These cases can become complex quickly.

Hit-and-run crashes

If the driver fled, you may still have options depending on available coverage and evidence. The key is fast reporting and fast investigation.

📞 314-863-0500 — Call Sansone & Lauber. Don’t wait.

What is my Missouri car accident case worth?

Case value depends on:

  • severity of injuries

  • treatment required and future care

  • time missed from work

  • lasting limitations and pain

  • clarity of liability and available insurance coverage

Economic damages (financial losses)

  • ER/urgent care, imaging, specialists

  • surgery, rehab, physical therapy

  • medication and medical devices

  • future medical care

  • lost wages

  • reduced earning capacity

  • out-of-pocket costs (travel, home help)

Non-economic damages (human losses)

  • pain and suffering

  • emotional distress

  • PTSD/anxiety, sleep disruption

  • loss of enjoyment of life

  • disability/impairment

  • scarring/disfigurement (when applicable)

Beware quick settlements. If you settle before your condition stabilizes, you may be stuck paying future medical costs yourself.

📞 314-863-0500 — Free consultation and case value assessment.

Missouri insurance minimums (and why limits matter)

Missouri requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, and also requires uninsured motorist coverage at $25,000/$50,000.

Why that matters

Serious injuries can exceed minimum limits quickly. When limits are low, strategy matters:

  • identifying all possible policies/coverage layers

  • documenting damages thoroughly

  • preventing liability disputes that reduce the payout

📞 314-863-0500 — The sooner you call, the sooner we can protect your claim.

Deadlines: how long do I have in Missouri?

For many injury claims in Missouri, a five-year limitations period applies to actions for “injury to the person or rights of another” not arising on contract.
Even with time on the calendar, waiting still hurts your case because evidence disappears and medical gaps appear.

Why you should treat time like the enemy

  • witnesses forget details

  • video is overwritten

  • vehicles are repaired/sold

  • insurers solidify blame narratives

  • medical records become less clear

📞 314-863-0500 — Call Sansone & Lauber now. Don’t wait.

Mistakes that destroy Missouri car accident claims

Avoid these if you want maximum compensation:

  1. Delaying medical treatment

  2. Gaps in treatment (insurers argue you recovered)

  3. Giving recorded statements to the other insurer

  4. Signing broad medical releases

  5. Posting on social media about activities or travel

  6. Accepting the first offer before you understand your prognosis

  7. Minimizing symptoms in early medical visits

  8. Failing to document lost wages and work restrictions

If you’ve already made one of these mistakes, you may still have a strong case—but act quickly.

📞 314-863-0500 — Call now. Waiting hurts your case.

How Sansone & Lauber helps after a Missouri car accident

When you’re injured, your case is not just “submitting bills.” It’s building leverage.

A serious injury claim requires:

  • fast evidence preservation (video, witnesses, scene documentation)

  • clean medical documentation and consistent treatment

  • accurate damage calculations (wage loss + future care)

  • protection from insurer tactics

  • an aggressive strategy if the insurer refuses fair value

Sansone & Lauber helps injured victims across Missouri pursue maximum compensation after car accidents.

📞 Call 314-863-0500 for a FREE consultation.
Don’t wait. Waiting hurts your case. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help you.

FAQs

Should I go to the doctor if I feel okay after the crash?

Yes. Symptoms often appear later. Early evaluation protects your health and your claim.

Do I have to talk to the other driver’s insurance adjuster?

No. Be cautious—especially about recorded statements. Talk to counsel first.

What if the insurance company says I’m partly at fault?

Missouri’s comparative fault framework means insurers often push blame to reduce payouts. Evidence and a strong strategy can protect your recovery.

What if the other driver is uninsured?

Missouri requires uninsured motorist coverage at minimum limits, and there may be coverage options depending on policies involved.

How long do I have to file an injury claim in Missouri?

A five-year limitations period commonly applies to actions for injury to the person or rights of another not arising on contract.

Call Sansone & Lauber Now — FREE Consultation

If you were injured in a car accident anywhere in Missouri, don’t let insurance companies control the narrative, push blame onto you, or rush you into a low settlement.

📞 Call Sansone & Lauber now at 314-863-0500. Don’t wait. Waiting hurts your case. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help you pursue maximum compensation.