St. Louis Car Accident Attorney

At The Floyd Law Firm, we are committed to helping car accident victims collect the financial compensation that they deserve. Our St. Louis car accident attorneys can help you seek justice and maximize your financial recovery. If you or a loved one was recently injured in a car accident, contact us to request a free case consultation with an experienced attorney.

Car accidents are one of the most common causes of injuries in Missouri and throughout the United States. Every year, thousands of victims are sent to emergency rooms with serious injuries from automobile accidents.

Why We’re Right for This Case

• Our St. Louis car accident lawyers have been representing victims since 1959. We have the experience necessary to achieve the best possible case results on your behalf, even if this means taking your case to trial in St. Louis.
• We have collected millions of dollars on behalf of our personal injury and car accident clients. Our history of success in and out of the courtroom can yield better results from insurance companies.
• We accept car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will pay $0 in fees upfront. You will only pay our attorneys if and when we win your case. We also offer free case consultations, which we can conduct at your home or hospital.

What Types of Compensation Are Available?

Car accident victims in Missouri may be able to collect financial compensation for a range of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are the monetary losses the victim suffered in the accident, while non-economic damages are intangible losses.

At The Floyd Law Firm, we can help you seek maximum financial compensation for all available damages. This may include:

• Medical expenses: all past and future health care costs necessitated by your injuries, including surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and physical therapy.
• Property damage: the price to repair damage done to your vehicle or the full pre-crash value of your car, if it was totaled. You may also qualify for rental car reimbursement or travel expenses.
• Lost wages: income and employment benefits that you lost from having to miss work because of your car accident, as well as lost future capacity to earn if you have a disabling injury.
• Pain and suffering: physical pain, chronic pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other noneconomic losses.

If a loved one passed away in a fatal car accident in St. Louis, your family may also be eligible for wrongful death damages. These could include reasonable funeral and burial costs, lost income and inheritance, medical bills incurred before death, loss of consortium, lost companionship and support, and your family’s grief and mental anguish. Our St. Louis car accident lawyers know how to negotiate fair settlements with car insurance companies in any case. If necessary, we can take a case to court.

How Long After a Car Accident Can You File a Claim in Missouri?

You must act quickly if you wish to file a car accident injury claim in Missouri. There is a statute of limitations, or deadline for filing, that could bar you from seeking a financial recovery if you wait too long. The state’s statute of limitations is five years for most car accident cases. The clock generally starts ticking on the date that the car accident takes place. However, if you had a delayed discovery of your injuries – such as a brain injury that did not show symptoms until a few days later – the clock will be tolled (paused) until the date of reasonable discovery.

There are some exceptions to the rule. If the injured victim is a minor (a person under the age of 18), the statute of limitations on a car accident claim does not begin until the minor turns 21. If your loved one died in a car accident, you only have three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. If you wish to file a claim against a government entity, such as for a car accident caused by a road defect, you have just 90 days from the accident to bring your claim. The best way to ensure that you meet your filing deadline is by contacting a car accident attorney in St. Louis as soon as possible.

Types of Car Accident Cases We Accept

The St. Louis car accident attorneys at The Floyd Law Firm have more than 50 years of experience representing crash victims and their families. We know how to handle all types of motor vehicle accident cases in St. Louis and throughout Missouri, including:

• Automobile accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Chain reaction accidents
• Commercial vehicle accidents
• Head-on collisions
• Highway accidents
• Hit-and-run accidents
• Intersection accidents
• Motorcycle accident
• Pedestrian accidents
• Rear-end collisions
• Recreational vehicle accidents (such as ATVs)
• Side-impact or T-bone accidents
• Truck accidents
• Vehicle rollovers
• Workplace transportation accidents

If you do not see your type of car accident on this list, don’t worry. This is not a comprehensive overview of every case we accept. Our St. Louis accident attorneys will meet with you during a free consultation to discuss your particular situation in detail.

10 Steps to Take After a Car Accident

Getting into a car accident can cause stress, anxiety, and confusion. If you can, however, it is important to try to take certain steps early in the aftermath of a crash. Taking these actions can help you protect yourself and build a stronger personal injury claim from the beginning. Here’s what to do:

1. Pull over immediately. It is against the law in Missouri to leave the scene of an accident without stopping, rendering aid, and exchanging information.
2. Check for injuries. Check yourself and everyone else involved in the car accident for injuries. If someone is injured, you have a responsibility to render aid, if necessary.
3. Call 911 to report the crash. Notify law enforcement of the car accident without delay. Obtaining a police report even for a minor collision can help with your insurance claim.
4. Get medical care. Seek medical attention right away for any injuries. Keep in mind that you could have injuries with hidden or delayed symptoms that may appear later.
5. Exchange information. Write down the other driver’s name, phone number, and insurance information. Record a detailed description of the car and license plate numbers, as well.
6. Give the police a statement. Put your side of the story into the police accident report. Do not go into detail about the fault for the collision or your injuries.
7. Take photographs. Before you leave the scene of the accident, take photographs of the crash as a whole, as well as any important details.
8. Gather information. Obtain information and evidence, such as copies of your police report, medical records, and any surveillance footage that recorded the car accident.
9. File an insurance claim. Notify your own car insurance company that a car accident has occurred. Do not admit fault, however.
10. Contact a car accident attorney in St. Louis. Before you accept a settlement offered by an insurance company, consult with a lawyer about your rights.

These are general tips that can help any car accident victim protect their rights and get a head start with the insurance claims process. For legal advice that is tailored to your unique situation, request a one-on-one consultation with a St. Louis car accident attorney at The Floyd Law Firm.

Top Causes of Car Accidents in St. Louis

The leading causes of motor vehicle accidents in Missouri are all connected to driver error. Motor vehicle drivers make mistakes that are often behind serious and fatal collisions. Despite laws in Missouri being in place to prevent hazards such as drunk or distracted driving, thousands of car accidents occur due to driver errors each year.

Common examples include:

• Alcohol involvement
• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Failing to yield the right-of-way
• Following too closely
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Reckless driving
• Red-light running
• Road rage or driver aggression
• Speeding
• Texting while driving
• Young or inexperienced driver

Other common causes of car accidents in St. Louis that do not involve driver error include motor vehicle defects, part or equipment breakdowns, dangerous road defects such as potholes, bad weather, and crossing animals. If you do not know the cause of your car accident, our lawyers can investigate.

Common Car Accident Injuries

A victim could suffer many types of injuries in a motor vehicle accident. Every car accident involves three collisions: the vehicle collision, the human collision, and the internal collision.

After the vehicle collision, which halts the forward motion of the car, its occupants may strike objects or other passengers within the vehicle. This is the human collision, and it can cause various impact-related injuries. The internal collision – the impact of the internal organs with each other or the skeleton – can cause additional damage.

Common car accident injuries include:

• Amputations
• Broken bones
• Bruises and contusions
• Burn injuries
• Crush injuries
• Facial and eye injuries
• Head trauma
• Knee injuries
• Lacerations
• Organ damage and internal bleeding
• Paralysis
• Rib fractures
• Skull fractures
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

Sadly, not everyone survives motor vehicle accidents. At The Floyd Law Firm, we can represent your family during a wrongful death case if you tragically lost a loved one in a fatal crash in St. Louis. We have the resources and experience to handle complicated and catastrophic injury claims. We will also connect you to top doctors in the city to make sure you are receiving the care that you need to make the greatest possible recovery.

Is Missouri a No-Fault State for Car Accidents?

No. Missouri is an at-fault state for car accident claims, meaning drivers can seek benefits from the at-fault party’s insurance company. In no-fault states, drivers file insurance claims with their own policies, regardless of fault for the car accident. In Missouri, your injuries do not need to meet a certain threshold to make you eligible to hold someone else responsible. If you suspect that the other driver or a third party caused your crash, you can file a claim with this person’s car insurance policy. However, your attorney must prove fault.

Establishing fault or liability in a car accident case requires clear and convincing evidence. The burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, otherwise known as the more likely than not standard. This burden requires your lawyer to establish that the defendant is more likely responsible for causing your car accident than not. Meeting this burden of proof takes evidence such as photos and videos, accident reports, medical records, eyewitness statements, and expert testimony.

All drivers in Missouri are required to maintain minimum amounts of car insurance. This includes at least $25,000 in bodily injury insurance per person, $50,000 in bodily injury insurance per accident, and $10,000 in property damage liability insurance. As a crash victim, you can seek benefits from the other driver’s liability coverage if he or she caused your accident. You may need assistance from an attorney, however, to negotiate a fair insurance settlement.

Tips for Dealing With a Car Insurance Claims Adjuster

When you file a car insurance claim in Missouri, expect the insurance company to try to save itself as much money as possible on your payout. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses that put their bottom lines before their clients. You can protect yourself during conversations with an insurance claims adjuster using these tips:

• Do not admit fault for the car accident.
• Do not give the adjuster a recorded statement.
• Do not discuss your injuries until you’ve seen a doctor.
• Keep your answers to questions short and simple.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, say you don’t know.
• Do not sign anything sent to you from the insurer until you’ve spoken to a lawyer.
• Do not rush to accept the first settlement offer, as it may be too low.

If you do not want to communicate or negotiate with a claims adjuster on your own after a St. Louis car accident, hire an attorney to do so for you. Your lawyer will know exactly how to handle a claims adjuster to fight for the best possible results for your case.

Contact Our St. Louis Car Accident Attorneys Today

If you were recently injured in a car accident in St. Louis, Missouri, you don’t have to handle the recovery process alone. The St. Louis car accident lawyer at The Floyd Law Firm can guide you through the steps it takes to receive high-quality medical care, file a car insurance claim, negotiate with insurance claims adjusters, hold someone accountable, and collect the financial compensation that you need.

We are passionate about helping car accident victims piece their lives back together. Call us at (314) 863-4114 or contact us online today to request your free case consultation.