Missouri legal guides · St. Louis
Missouri legal guides: plain answers about injury claims and lawsuits
These Missouri legal guides answer the questions people ask after an injury or a dispute. How long do I have to file? What if I was partly at fault? What does insurance have to pay? How does a lawyer get paid? Each guide gives the short answer first, then explains what it means for you.
How these guides work
Each guide answers one question. The answer comes first, in plain words. Then we explain what the rule means for you and what to do next.
We check every rule against the law itself. The sources are listed at the bottom of each page, so you can read them too. Laws change, and Missouri has changed several of these rules in recent years. The guides are current as of September 2026.
These guides are general information. They are not legal advice about your case. Reading them does not make you a client. To get advice about your own situation, talk with a lawyer who has seen your papers.
Four numbers worth knowing
A few numbers come up again and again in Missouri cases. Each one has its own guide.
5 years
Your deadline to file a lawsuit for most injuries caused by someone’s carelessness in Missouri (RSMo § 516.120). Some claims have shorter deadlines.
3 years
The deadline for a family to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Missouri (RSMo § 537.100).
25/50/25
The least car insurance a Missouri driver must carry: $25,000 for one injured person, $50,000 for everyone hurt in one crash, and $25,000 for property damage.
$5,000
The most you can ask for in Missouri small claims court, not counting interest and court costs.
Where to start
Were you just hurt in a crash? Start with what to do after a car accident in Missouri. Then read talking to insurance adjusters before you give anyone a statement.
Has time passed since you were hurt? Read the deadline guide first. If you miss the deadline, you lose the right to sue, no matter how strong your case is.
Thinking about hiring a lawyer? Contingency fees explained shows how injury lawyers are paid. What to bring to your consultation helps you get the most from a first meeting.
In a business or money dispute? Read about small claims court and state court versus federal court.
All the guides
Missouri statute of limitations for personal injury
How long you have to file, and the shorter deadlines that catch people off guard.
What happens if you were partly to blame.
What to do after a car accident in Missouri
What the law requires at the scene, and the report you may owe the state.
How an injury lawyer is paid, and what your fee agreement must say.
Talking to insurance adjusters
Recorded statements, medical forms and settlement papers.
How long a personal injury case takes
The steps of a claim and what sets the pace.
When a court can make someone pay extra as punishment.
Missouri wrongful death: who can sue
Which family members can bring the case, and in what order.
Which court hears your case, and why it matters.
What to bring to your consultation
A simple checklist for your first meeting.
The $5,000 limit and how to handle a case on your own.
Missouri auto insurance requirements
What every driver must carry, and the coverage that protects you.
When you need more than a guide
A guide explains the rule. It cannot tell you how the rule fits your facts. It cannot tell you what the other side will argue. That takes a lawyer who has read your papers.
Injury consultations with the firm are free. Business and corporate consultations are paid. You can look through the firm’s practice areas or read about Harjot Singh Padda, JD.
Common questions
Are these guides legal advice?
No. They are general information. For advice about your own case, contact the office and talk with Mr. Padda.
How up to date are the guides?
Each one was checked against the law in September 2026. Each links to the law it relies on. The legal notices page has more.
Which guide should I read first after an injury?
Read the deadline guide. A missed deadline ends a claim.
Do the guides cover business disputes?
Some do, like small claims court. The business law pages cover contracts and companies.
Related reading
- Personal injury help in St. Louis
- Civil lawsuits in Missouri courts
- Cases in federal court
- Business and corporate law
Have a question these guides do not answer?
Call or text the office to talk it through. Injury consultations are free.
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. § 537.100. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 303.190. Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305. Missouri Revisor of Statutes