Missouri Car Accident Settlement Calculator
Get a rough estimate of what a Missouri car-accident injury claim might be worth, based on your medical bills and losses. This is an estimate to understand the factors — not a prediction or an offer.
This is a rough estimate, not a prediction or an offer.
No tool can predict a settlement. This uses the common "multiplier method" to show the factors that drive value and a wide range — actual outcomes depend on the facts, the available insurance limits, the venue, and negotiation. Consult a Missouri car-accident attorney about your case.
Enter your medical bills and losses to see an estimated range
The multiplier method (pain-and-suffering as a multiple of your medical bills) is a common starting point, not a guarantee. A real recovery is also capped by the available insurance (the at-fault driver's limits, or your own UM/UIM coverage). Most car-accident cases settle; an attorney is the only way to value your specific claim. This tool is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
How the Estimate Works
No tool can predict a car-accident settlement — every case is different and the number depends on the facts, the available insurance, the venue, and negotiation. This calculator applies the multiplier method: it adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage), then estimates pain and suffering as a multiple of your medical bills (about 1.5× for minor injuries up to 5× or more for catastrophic ones), and shows a wide range. It then applies Missouri's fault rule and flags the insurance limits that cap a real payout.
Missouri Is an at-fault (tort) state
Missouri is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. It is NOT one of the 12 no-fault/PIP states and has no PIP-first system. The at-fault driver's liability insurer pays for the other party's injuries and damages, and an injured party may sue the at-fault driver directly for all damages including pain and suffering with no threshold to clear. The Missouri Department of Revenue confirms the state operates on mandatory liability (tort) insurance.
Minimum Insurance & UM/UIM in Missouri
A settlement is only collectible up to the available insurance. Missouri's minimum required liability coverage is $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Many drivers carry only the minimum, so a large claim can exceed the at-fault driver's policy. Minimum mandatory liability limits are 25/50/25: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage per accident, set by RSMo 303.190 (and cross-referenced in the financial-responsibility chapter at RSMo 303.030).
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): if the other driver had no insurance or fled the scene, your recovery comes from your own UM/UIM coverage. In Missouri, UM/UIM is required to carry. UM bodily-injury coverage is mandatory at 25/50 (RSMo 379.203); only the excess above statutory minimums is rejectable in writing. Standalone UIM is not separately mandated.
Fault & Your Recovery: pure comparative negligence
Missouri follows pure comparative negligence. Your award is reduced by your share of fault, but you can still recover something even if you were mostly at fault.
Deadline to File a Missouri Car-Accident Claim
Missouri generally requires a car-accident injury lawsuit to be filed within 5 years of the crash (the statute of limitations). Five-year statute of limitations for personal-injury actions, including negligence-based auto-accident claims, under RSMo 516.120(4) ("any injury to the person or rights of another, not arising on contract"). 5 years remains in effect; multiple legislative attempts to shorten it to two/three years did not become law. Property-damage claims also fall under the 5-year period (RSMo 516.120(4)). Wrongful-death actions are a separate 3-year limit under RSMo 537.100. Miss it and your claim is usually barred no matter how strong it is, so do not wait to talk to an attorney.
- Missouri is a pure at-fault (tort) state — the at-fault driver's insurer pays, and you can sue directly for pain and suffering with no no-fault threshold to clear.
- Minimum required liability is 25/50/25: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage (RSMo 303.190).
- Uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000/$50,000 is also mandatory and bundled into every Missouri auto policy; only coverage above those minimums can be rejected in writing.
- Fault is shared under pure comparative negligence — your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover even if you were mostly at fault.
- You generally have 5 years to file a personal-injury or property-damage lawsuit (RSMo 516.120); wrongful-death claims have a shorter 3-year deadline (RSMo 537.100).
- Repeated bills to cut the 5-year injury deadline to 2 or 3 years have failed, so the 5-year window remains current law.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my Missouri car accident claim worth?
No one can tell you a number in advance. A rough estimate adds your economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage) and applies a pain-and-suffering multiplier, then adjusts for fault under Missouri's pure comparative negligence rule. The real value also depends on the available insurance limits — an attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
Is Missouri a no-fault state?
Missouri is a traditional at-fault (tort) state. It is NOT one of the 12 no-fault/PIP states and has no PIP-first system. The at-fault driver's liability insurer pays for the other party's injuries and damages, and an injured party may sue the at-fault driver directly for all damages including pain and suffering with no threshold to clear. The Missouri Department of Revenue confirms the state operates on mandatory liability (tort) insurance.
Does my own fault reduce my Missouri settlement?
Yes. Missouri follows pure comparative negligence. Your award is reduced by your fault percentage but never eliminated.
How long do I have to file in Missouri?
Generally 5 years from the crash. Five-year statute of limitations for personal-injury actions, including negligence-based auto-accident claims, under RSMo 516.120(4) ("any injury to the person or rights of another, not arising on contract"). 5 years remains in effect; multiple legislative attempts to shorten it to two/three years did not become law. Property-damage claims also fall under the 5-year period (RSMo 516.120(4)). Wrongful-death actions are a separate 3-year limit under RSMo 537.100.
Is this calculator accurate?
It is a rough estimate to show the factors that drive value — not a prediction or an offer. Real settlements vary enormously and are capped by the available insurance. Treat any number here as a ballpark and consult a Missouri car-accident attorney.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. The value of a car-accident claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.