Personal injury lawyer · St. Louis
Personal injury lawyer in St. Louis, Missouri
A personal injury lawyer helps you get paid when someone else’s carelessness hurts you. That can cover your medical bills, lost pay and pain. In Missouri, you usually have five years to file a lawsuit. If you were partly at fault, you can still recover, but your share of the blame lowers the amount.
What an injury claim is
An injury claim is a civil case, not a criminal one. It asks the person or company who hurt you to pay money for the harm. Most claims are based on negligence, which means someone was careless and the carelessness hurt you. Some claims work differently. For example, a company that sells a defective product can be responsible without proof that it was careless. See product liability.
The Law Offices of Harjot Singh Padda represents injured people in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and across Missouri. Harjot Singh Padda, JD handles your case from the first call to the end, whether that is a settlement you agree to or a trial.
Three Missouri rules that shape every case
5 years
The time most people have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri (RSMo § 516.120). For a wrongful death claim, the family has three years (RSMo § 537.100).
The deadline to file
This deadline is called the statute of limitations. If you miss it, you can lose the right to sue. In most crash and fall cases, the clock starts on the day you are hurt (RSMo § 516.100). Lawmakers have tried to shorten the five years, but as of September 2026 the law still says five years. Our guide to the Missouri statute of limitations explains the exceptions.
If you were partly at fault
Missouri uses a rule called pure comparative fault. The jury decides what percent of the blame each person carries, and your award is cut by your share. If you are 30 percent at fault, you get 70 percent of your damages. You are not shut out, even if your share is large. Missouri’s highest court adopted this rule in 1983, and a state law applies it to product claims (RSMo § 537.765). See Missouri comparative fault.
When more than one party is at fault
Sometimes two or more people or companies share the blame. One found 51 percent or more at fault can be made to pay the whole judgment, which is the amount the court orders paid. One found under 51 percent pays only its own share (RSMo § 537.067). There are exceptions. For example, an employer can be made to pay its employee’s share.
How a case works, step by step
- Free consultation. You tell us what happened. We look at what you have and explain the law that applies. See what to bring.
- Investigation. We gather police reports, photos, witness names, video, vehicle data and insurance policies before they are lost.
- Your medical care. Your records and bills prove your damages, so the claim follows your treatment.
- Demand and talks with the insurer. Once your injuries are clear, we send the insurer a written demand. Many cases end here.
- Lawsuit. If the case does not end there, we file a lawsuit in the right Missouri court, or in federal court when the rules allow.
- Discovery, mediation and trial. Both sides share evidence and question witnesses under oath. Most courts send cases to mediation before trial. Mediation is a meeting with a neutral person who helps both sides try to settle.
How long each step takes depends on your injuries and on the other side. Our guide on how long a personal injury case takes explains more.
What you can be paid for
Damages are the money the law allows for your losses. In Missouri, they can include:
- Medical bills, now and in the future.
- Lost pay, and lost ability to earn in the future.
- Pain, disability and the loss of things you used to enjoy.
- A separate claim for your spouse, for harm to your marriage. The law calls this loss of consortium.
Punitive damages are different because they punish the wrongdoer. Missouri allows them only with clear and convincing proof, a higher level of proof than usual. The proof must show intentional harm, or deliberate and flagrant disregard for safety. See punitive damages in Missouri.
No lawyer can tell you at the start what your case is worth. It depends on the proof of fault, your medical records, the insurance available and how a jury in that county would likely see it.
How fees work
Your first consultation is free. Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee. That means the fee is a percentage of what is recovered, as set out in a written agreement. The agreement also explains case costs, such as filing fees, records charges and deposition transcripts. A client can still owe costs. Read contingency fees explained before you sign with any firm.
Injury cases the firm handles
Who caused the crash, which insurance pays and the proof that matters.
Federal safety rules, company records and every company that may be at fault.
Missouri’s helmet law and how insurers blame riders.
Crosswalk rules and the high level of care drivers owe you.
Your rights on the road and the safe-passing law.
Which insurance pays, based on what the driver was doing.
Your own claim, punitive damages and claims against bars.
A claim on your own policy when the other driver has no insurance.
What property owners owe you, and proving a dangerous condition.
When a dog owner is responsible for a bite in Missouri.
Who can bring the claim and the three-year deadline.
Concussion and other brain injury claims.
Spine injuries and the medical proof they need.
Workplace injury, third parties
Claims against outside companies, beyond workers’ comp.
Products that were badly designed, badly made or lacked warnings.
Common questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri?
Five years for most injury claims (RSMo § 516.120). Three years for wrongful death (RSMo § 537.100). The statute of limitations guide covers the exceptions.
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes. Missouri cuts your damages by your share of the fault. It does not bar your claim. See Missouri comparative fault.
Should I talk to the other driver’s insurance adjuster?
You do not have to give the other side’s insurer a recorded statement. Read talking to insurance adjusters first.
What does a consultation cost?
Injury consultations are free. You can schedule one online or call the office.
Do you handle cases outside St. Louis?
Yes, across Missouri, including St. Charles County and St. Louis County.
Related reading
- What to do after a car accident in Missouri
- Contingency fees explained
- How long a personal injury case takes
- About Harjot Singh Padda, JD
Talk with us about your injury
The consultation is free. We will go over what happened, your deadline and what the next steps would look like for you.
4477 Woodson Rd
St. Louis, MO 63134
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it or contacting the office does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Sources
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.100. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11 (Mo. banc 1983). Justia
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.765. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.067. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 510.261. Missouri Revisor of Statutes