Missouri injury claims

From Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield to the rural counties in between, people in Missouri are hurt in car crashes, falls, workplace accidents and more. This page covers the Missouri-specific rules that frame those claims and how to get a free review from an independent attorney licensed in the state.

Where people get hurt in Missouri: cities, roads and industries

Missouri's biggest population centers, Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Columbia, account for much of the state's traffic and many of its injury claims, but rural roads and small towns see serious crashes too.

Drivers across Missouri rely on I-70, I-44, I-55 and I-29. Congestion, speed differences between trucks and cars, and weather all play a part in the crashes reported on these roads.

Employment in aerospace, auto manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare means many Missouri workers spend their days around heavy equipment, vehicles or demanding physical tasks, which shapes the kinds of workplace claims filed here.

Common injury claims in Missouri

Missouri's fault rule in plain words

Under Missouri's pure comparative fault rule, fault is split among everyone involved, and each person's recovery shrinks by their own percentage. There is no cutoff point: being partly, or even mostly, responsible lowers what can be recovered rather than eliminating it.

In practice, insurers handling a claim from Kansas City or St. Louis often negotiate over the percentage itself, because each point of fault moves the number.

Filing time frames in Missouri (general information)

The general limitations statute for personal injury in Missouri is RSMo § 516.120(4). As listed in the sources we use, it sets a general period of five years for many personal injury claims.

Wrongful death claims have their own listed period: 3 yrs (§ 537.100).

These are general rules, not a deadline for any one person. Discovery rules, the age of the injured person, claims against government bodies and other exceptions can make the real time frame shorter or longer, and evidence fades long before any legal cutoff. Only a licensed attorney can say what applies to a specific claim.

Claims against a government agency in Missouri

Getting hurt by a government vehicle, on public property or because of a road defect raises a separate set of rules in Missouri.

We have not confirmed Missouri's specific notice rules for government claims, so we don't list them here. Many states require written notice within a short window, sometimes months rather than years.

If a city vehicle in Kansas City or a road hazard on a public street is involved, mention it when you file so the reviewing attorney can look at notice issues right away.

Car insurance in Missouri: minimums

The minimum liability insurance in Missouri is 25/50/25: $25,000 for injuries to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one accident and $25,000 for property damage.

Auto claims in Missouri follow a traditional fault-based system. It is worth checking your own policy's declarations page for UM/UIM and MedPay, since minimum limits are often lower than the cost of a serious injury.

Animal bite liability in Missouri

Missouri has a animal bite statute (§ 273.036) that the Animal Legal & Historical Center lists among states that displace the old "one-bite" rule. In general, statutes like this make an owner responsible for injuries their dog causes without proof that the owner knew the dog was dangerous, subject to defenses such as provocation or trespass.

Report the bite to local animal control in Kansas City or wherever it happened, get medical care, and see our animal bite claims page for next steps.

Workers' compensation in Missouri

Workers' compensation is a no-fault system: injured employees receive benefits for medical care and lost wages without proving their employer was careless, and in exchange the employer is generally protected from being sued. That is often called the exclusive remedy rule.

Common sticking points include late notice to the employer, pre-existing conditions and whether someone was misclassified as a contractor, a frequent issue in auto manufacturing.

When someone other than the employer caused the injury, such as an equipment maker or another contractor on a job site in St. Louis, a separate third-party claim may be possible.

What to do after an injury in Missouri

1. Put your health first: get checked out, follow up, and keep the paperwork.
2. Report the incident: call police after a crash on I-70, file an incident report with a business, or notify your employer in writing.
3. Save photos, video, receipts, wage records and the other side's insurance details in one place.
4. Don't guess about fault when talking to insurers; stick to the facts you know.
5. File a free claim or call (833) 822-7800 to have an independent attorney licensed in Missouri review it.