Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Missouri?
Every rule below is quoted from Missouri law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the Missouri rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
Missouri uses pure comparative fault. A person can still recover money even if they were mostly to blame for the crash, but the payout is reduced by their own percentage of fault.
“In 1983, Missouri adopted the rules of pure comparative fault. Pure comparative fault allows your damages to be reduced by the percentage you are at fault in a loss.”
How long you have
- 5 years
- to sue for injuriesRSMo 516.120(4)
- 5 years
- to sue for car or property damageRSMo 516.120(4)
- 3 years
- for a family to sue after a deathRSMo 537.100.1
- 90 days
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedRSMo 82.210
Deadline to sue for injuries
A person hurt in a Missouri car crash generally has 5 years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for their injuries.
“An action for taking, detaining or injuring any goods or chattels, including actions for the recovery of specific personal property, or for any other injury to the person”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a crash involves a dangerous city street, sidewalk, or bridge in a Missouri city of 100,000 people or more, the injured person must send the mayor written notice within 90 days. Missouri does not have one single notice rule that covers every kind of government claim.
“notice shall first have been given in writing to the mayor of said city, within ninety days of the occurrence for which such damage is claimed”
How injury lawyers charge in Missouri
Contingency fee rules
Missouri does not cap the percentage a personal injury lawyer can charge as a contingency fee. The fee just has to be reasonable, and the agreement must be written down and signed by the client.
“A fee may be contingent on the outcome of the matter for which the service is rendered, except in a matter in which a contingent fee is prohibited by Rule”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
To complain about an insurance company in Missouri, contact the Department of Commerce and Insurance's consumer hotline, or file a complaint online or by mail.
“The Division provides consumer information and investigates consumer complaints against insurance companies and producers for most types of insurance.”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
- Missouri Dept. of Commerce and Insurance, Auto Insurance FAQs; general rule traces to Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11 (Mo. banc 1983)
- Missouri Dept. of Commerce and Insurance, Consumer Guide to Automobile Insurance
- RSMo 516.120(4)
- RSMo 82.210
- Missouri Supreme Court Rule 4-1.5
- Missouri Dept. of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Consumer Affairs
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.