Car accident claims
A collision can create medical, insurance, transportation, and work problems all at once. Harris Law helps injured people understand the claim process and decide what to do next.
Request a free consultation
This guide provides general Missouri information. It cannot determine fault, coverage, deadlines, or value without the facts and applicable policies.
| Coverage | What it generally addresses | Important question |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | Injuries or property damage caused by an insured driver | Who caused the crash, and what limits are available? |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Bodily injury caused by a driver without liability insurance, including some hit-and-run claims | Which policies and insured people may apply? |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | A policy-based benefit when the responsible driver’s coverage is not enough | Does the policy include UIM, and what conditions or offsets apply? |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | Covered medical expenses regardless of who caused the collision, subject to the policy | What limit and submission requirements does the policy contain? |
| Stacking | The possibility of combining coverage from more than one vehicle or policy | What does the exact policy language permit under Missouri law? |
Traffic moves through busy corridors such as Glenstone Avenue, Battlefield Road, Kansas Expressway, Sunshine Street, Highway 65, Interstate 44, and James River Freeway. A rear-end collision, intersection crash, or highway wreck can leave you dealing with medical care, a damaged vehicle, missed work, and several insurance adjusters at once.
The location matters. It can determine which police agency prepared the report, where a lawsuit would be filed, and what evidence may exist. Crashes inside Springfield are often investigated by the Springfield Police Department; other wrecks may involve the Missouri State Highway Patrol or another local agency. Greene County cases are generally filed in the Circuit Court of Greene County.
Safety and medical care come first. If you can do so safely, document the scene before vehicles and debris move. Do not delay appropriate treatment because the full effect of an injury is not always obvious at the roadside.
CoxHealth and Mercy operate major medical facilities in Springfield. The right facility depends on the urgency and type of injury; call 911 for an emergency.
Missouri generally applies a five-year limitations period to personal-injury actions under RSMo § 516.120. Other claims and defendants can create shorter deadlines, so five years should never be treated as a reason to wait.
Missouri uses pure comparative fault. A percentage of responsibility can reduce a recovery, but partial fault does not automatically end a negligence claim. Evidence from the scene, vehicle data, witnesses, reports, and medical records can become central when fault is disputed.
RSMo § 303.030 identifies minimum motor-vehicle liability limits of $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Those minimum limits may be far below the harm caused in a serious collision.
A careful review looks beyond the insurance card exchanged at the scene. Missouri requires uninsured-motorist bodily-injury coverage in automobile liability policies under RSMo § 379.203. Underinsured-motorist coverage is different: whether it exists and how it works depend on the policy.
Coverage questions may include household policies, employer or commercial coverage, vehicle ownership, permissive use, MedPay, umbrella insurance, and whether UM benefits apply to a hit-and-run. Stacking is highly policy-specific and should not be assumed either way.
The first conversation is not about forcing every accident into the same formula. It is about understanding whether legal representation would help and what should happen next.
Even after quality repairs, an accident history can reduce a vehicle’s resale or trade-in value. In Rook v. John F. Oliver Trucking Co., 556 S.W.2d 200 (Mo. App. 1977), a 1977 Missouri Court of Appeals decision, the court addressed the narrow diminished-value measure: the difference between market value immediately before the collision and market value after repairs. A diminished-value claim still requires supporting proof.
Proof may include the vehicle’s condition and market value before the crash, repair records, post-repair inspections, comparable sales, and recognized valuation sources such as CCC, ADP AutoSource, or NADA guides. An insurer may argue that adequate repair cost is the proper measure; the evidence must show whether a loss in market value remains after repairs.
Missouri small-claims courts have jurisdiction when the amount in controversy does not exceed $5,000 under RSMo § 482.305. Whether that forum is appropriate depends on the claim, proof, defendants, and requested relief. Harris Law evaluates diminished value as part of a broader auto-accident matter, not as a standalone engagement. A standard Missouri personal auto policy generally does not provide property-damage UM coverage simply because the at-fault driver was uninsured; the policies and responsible parties still need to be reviewed.
If the firm offers representation and you choose to hire Harris Law, the fee and scope are explained in a written agreement. The firm can then gather records, preserve evidence, identify coverage, communicate with insurers, evaluate damages, and prepare the claim with litigation in mind.
Clients can use the firm’s online portal to communicate with the attorney and staff, see their file, review the calendar, and follow the matter. The goal is to turn over the insurance and claim-management burden while keeping you informed about decisions that belong to you.
Common questions
Missouri generally allows five years for a personal-injury action under RSMo § 516.120, but shorter deadlines can apply to particular claims or defendants. Preserve evidence and obtain advice well before any deadline.
Missouri uses pure comparative fault. Your percentage of fault can reduce a recovery, but being partly responsible does not automatically bar a negligence claim.
You may have duties under your own policy, but a recorded statement can affect the claim. Understand who is asking, why, and what the policy requires before agreeing.
Not before you understand the injuries, treatment, wage loss, available coverage, liens, future needs, and what rights the release would end. An early offer may arrive before the full loss is known.
Possibly. Missouri policies include uninsured-motorist bodily-injury coverage, and other policies may also apply. Property-damage coverage is a separate issue and must be checked.
It is the loss in market value that may remain after a collision-damaged vehicle is repaired. The amount requires evidence and is evaluated separately from the repair bill.
The initial consultation is free. If representation is offered, the contingency fee and any costs are explained in a written agreement before you decide whether to hire the firm.
Venue depends on the parties and facts. Many Springfield collision cases are filed in the Circuit Court of Greene County, but the correct court must be determined case by case.
Statutes can change and case law affects how they apply. These links are starting points, not a substitute for a case-specific review.
