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How Long Do You Have to Report a Car Accident?

Under MoRS § 303.040,  drivers must report accidents to the police within 30 days if there was bodily injury, death, or damage in excess of $500. This reporting requirement gives the police time to investigate the accident and determine who was at fault. It also allows insurance companies to process claims and start paying for damages. 

When reporting an accident, you should be prepared to provide the following information: the date, time, and location of the accident; the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all involved parties; and a description of the damage sustained by each vehicle. You should also be prepared to provide your insurance information. 

How Long Do You Have to Notify the Insurance Company?

This is another common question that Missouri car accident victims ask. Ideally, after speaking with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney, your insurance company should be contacted within 24 hours of the accident. The insurance company will likely have a representative who will visit the accident scene to take photos and gather information about what happened. If you wait too long to notify the insurance company, they may argue that you had time to tamper with the evidence or that the accident didn’t happen the way you say it did.

How Long After a Car Accident Can You File a Car Injury Claim?

Missouri law generally requires that you file your car accident injury claim within five years of the date of the accident. However, it’s always advisable to file your car injury claim as soon as possible. This is because it can be difficult to obtain evidence and witnesses to support your claim after a long period has passed. In addition, the insurance company may try to use the delay as an excuse to deny your claim. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to take action quickly following a car accident.

Remember that these time limits can vary depending on your case’s specific facts and circumstances. If you have been in a car accident, it’s important that you speak with an experienced auto injury attorney who can help protect your rights and ensure that you take action within the applicable time limits.

St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer

Do you need help pursuing your car injury claim? The Hoffman Law Firm can help. Our attorneys have over 20 years of experience and can evaluate your claim for free. Contact us today for a free consultation.

If you are hitting the road this summer, it is important to understand what to do if you are involved in a car accident while in another state.

If you are hitting the road to a faraway destination this summer, you may be crossing many State lines. And anytime you are on the road, there is a chance you may be involved in an accident.

Missouri is a state that operates under comparative negligence, but not all states are the same. When you are in a car accident away from home, your home-state car accident laws generally won’t apply; therefore, it is good to be aware of what to expect.

Car accident law is based on the doctrine of negligence. Negligence means that a driver did something that directly led to an accident happening. It can also mean that a driver failed to act when they should have and that failure to act directly led to an accident.

What Is Comparative Negligence?

In the state of Missouri, if you are in a car accident, two drivers can be held responsible for their “portion” of the accident.

Since two drivers, or even multiple drivers, can act negligently, resulting in a car accident, comparative negligence is a way of making sure that each driver is responsible for the part they played or how much their negligent act contributed to the car accident.

What Is an At-Fault State?

Some States operate under the at-fault negligence law. At-fault states require that only one driver is deemed negligent and responsible for an accident. In at-fault states, any driver over 50% responsible for a car accident generally becomes 100% liable for paying for it.

If you are involved in an accident in a state that adheres to the at-fault negligence law, one party will likely be held solely at fault and responsible.

What Is a No-Fault State?

Some states adhere to the no-fault negligence law. In no-fault states, it doesn’t matter who is negligent or to blame in an accident. No-fault states require that every driver have insurance to cover them if they are in a crash.

Since it doesn’t matter who caused the accident, each driver takes care of their respective injuries and damages. States that adhere to no-fault laws are required to carry insurance called PIP, which is a policy that covers the driver no matter who is at fault.

Missouri requires that each driver carry the mandatory minimum liability insurance. Since it is a comparative negligence state, the insurance company covers the insured person’s portion of negligence. However, if you are driving in another State where the laws are different, you might have a hard time dealing with the difference in how insurance companies pay.

St. Louis Car Accident Attorney

If you are involved in a car accident in another state this summer, it is a good idea to speak with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney to sort through the details and ensure you do not end up settling for less than you are legally entitled to.

How much money you get from a car accident settlement will depend on several factors, including property damage, medical expenses, injuries, and your ability to work.

If you have suffered injuries resulting from a car accident in St. Louis, Missouri, you may be entitled to a settlement. Missouri is not a no-fault state. This means that anyone involved in a car accident can file a claim for compensation against the at-fault driver under Missouri’s comparative fault system, based on a percentage of fault assigned to them.

It is not always easy to file a claim against someone. However, you only have five years to file a personal injury claim against another person in the state of Missouri. Hiring an experienced personal injury law firm in St. Louis can help you understand your rights and what compensation you might be eligible for. 

Determining Compensation Amount

How much money you get from a car accident settlement will depend on many factors. These factors include the severity of the damage to your personal possessions, your medical expenses, and the extent of your injuries. Your car accident lawyer will also consider how long you cannot work when deciding on how much to ask for. If you were off work for a significant amount of time due to injuries, your lawyer might be able to negotiate a bigger car accident settlement. 

Proving Car Accident Liability

Your lawyer will want to make sure that you have enough evidence to support your claim. This often means that your case will undergo thorough investigation and discovery to gather additional evidence. This might include gathering witness testimony, surveillance footage, medical records, and pictures from the accident scene.

Proving accident liability on the other driver’s part is also extremely important to receiving compensation for your injuries. An injury can be proven by way of medical records, police reports, photos, and testimony. The more evidence you have about the injuries, the better chance that your settlement will be high enough to pay for all of your medical bills and other expenses.

Getting a Fair Settlement

If you have suffered serious injuries after a car accident, you deserve to be compensated for your pain and suffering. Because most car accident cases are settled out of court, it can be difficult to receive a fair settlement representing the maximum offer you could receive. For this reason, it is critical to choose a St. Louis car accident lawyer who has experience handling cases similar to yours. The attorney will be able to use that experience to benefit your case.

It can be easier to receive a bigger settlement if you have an attorney on your team in many cases. An experienced personal injury lawyer will know when to ask for a settlement and when to avoid them. You won’t have to worry about wasting time and money going to court over your accident if a court trial will not likely yield better results. An experienced lawyer will save you time and money because they know the ins and outs of the car accident settlement process.

Car accidents are on the rise in St. Louis. In 2020, fatal car accidents were up 11% from the prior year. If you have been involved in a car accident in St. Louis, it is a good idea to consult with a car accident attorney about your case. This way, you will have a good understanding of what options are available to you. If you’ve been involved in an accident, contact The Hoffman Law Firm 24/7 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney today.