As a pedestrian in Springfield, Missouri, you have no protection against a turning car or a driver who fails to yield. The result is often life-changing: fractures, head and spinal injuries, surgeries, and months away from work—along with mounting medical bills.
For more than 35 years, our experienced Springfield pedestrian accident lawyers have helped individuals hit by motorists recover compensation. We handle the details—dealing with adjusters, securing and preserving evidence, and helping you line up appropriate medical care—so you can focus on recovery.
Hit by a vehicle? Speak with our skilled pedestrian accident attorneys in Springfield, Missouri, today. Call (417) 788-6366 for a free initial consultation.
How Our Springfield Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Can Help
Recovering from serious injuries while managing a claim is a lot to carry. At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we handle the legal work end-to-end so you can focus on healing. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Thorough case assessment. We start by listening. Then we review the police file, your medical records, and the full scope of your losses to shape a strategy tailored to your Springfield case.
Targeted evidence collection. Proof wins cases. We secure Springfield police reports, witness statements, nearby business and traffic-camera footage, and any available vehicle data. We analyze each piece to establish liability and preserve it before it’s lost.
Negotiating with insurers. Missouri carriers often minimize pedestrian claims. With 35+ years handling Springfield matters, we recognize the playbook and counter it—pressing for fair compensation and, when necessary, positioning the file for litigation in Greene County.
Accurate damage valuation. Pedestrian injuries bring costs that extend well beyond the ER. Working with trusted Springfield providers and financial experts, we document future care, rehabilitation, wage loss, and diminished earning capacity so your claim reflects the true lifetime impact.
Courtroom advocacy. If a reasonable settlement isn’t on the table, we’re ready to try the case. Decades of Missouri trial work inform how we select juries, present medical proof, and examine experts.
Deadline and compliance management. Missouri claims carry strict notice and filing requirements. We handle the paperwork and calendar, making sure everything is filed on time and in the proper court so your rights are protected.
What To Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Springfield
The moments after you’re hit are chaotic, but a few quick steps protect your health and your claim. Evidence disappears fast, so timing matters.
Call 911 and get medical care.
Your health comes first. Report the crash and request an ambulance. Even if you feel okay, adrenaline can hide concussions or internal injuries. Same-day treatment creates the medical record that links your injuries to the crash—critical proof later.
Document the scene and witnesses.
If you’re able, use your phone to photograph the vehicle, your visible injuries, the location, skid marks, and debris. Get names and numbers for anyone who saw what happened. Check for nearby businesses with cameras; that footage is often erased within days, so noting it early is key.
Avoid recorded statements and contact us.
Expect a call from the driver’s insurer within hours. You don’t have to give a recorded statement, and you shouldn’t without legal advice; those interviews are designed to use your words against you.
Let our award-winning Springfield pedestrian accident attorneys handle the insurance calls while you focus on getting better.
Who Is Liable Under Missouri Pedestrian Laws?
Under Missouri law, drivers must use the highest degree of care around people on foot—doing what is reasonably necessary to avoid a collision, even when the pedestrian makes a mistake.
Springfield adds another layer: its 3-Foot Rule requires drivers to yield to anyone within three feet of a crosswalk, not just those already in it.
Liability can extend beyond the driver. Depending on the facts, we may also pursue the vehicle owner (if different from the driver), the employer (when the driver was on the job), and a government entity responsible for unsafe road design or maintenance.
Identifying every responsible party matters because it increases the insurance available—and with it, your potential compensation.
What Insurance Pays After a Pedestrian Accident?
More than one policy can apply after a pedestrian crash. Knowing which ones are in play helps you keep treatment moving while the claim is pending.
Liability Insurance
The at-fault driver’s auto liability coverage is the primary source of compensation. It pays medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering up to the policy limits. Missouri law requires at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, though many drivers carry higher limits—especially if they have significant assets to protect.
Uninsured Motorist and Hit-and-Run
If the driver who hit you lacks insurance or fled the scene, you’re not out of options. Missouri requires all drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage, which protects you in these situations.
Even as a pedestrian, your own auto insurance policy’s uninsured motorist coverage can pay your claim. If you don’t own a car, you might be covered under a family member’s policy if you live in the same household.
MedPay and Health Insurance
MedPay and your health insurance can cover treatment right away while the liability claim is pending. Because these benefits are no-fault, you don’t have to prove who caused the crash for them to pay.
They can cover the ER visit, surgery, and ongoing care. Using them does not hurt your claim against the at-fault driver—our Springfield personal injury lawyers can still seek full compensation for all of your losses
Compensation For Your Losses
A proper claim should reflect every way the crash has affected you—not just the first round of bills. We work to recover the full measure of your losses, including harm that isn’t obvious on day one.
Economic Damages
These are documented financial losses. They include medical bills, prescription costs, rehabilitation expenses, and wages you couldn’t earn while you were out of work.
We also account for future losses—ongoing medical care and reduced earning capacity if your injuries keep you from returning to your prior job.
Non-Economic Damages
These recognize the personal toll of the crash. They include pain and suffering—the day-to-day physical pain and the emotional impact of being struck—as well as loss of enjoyment of life when injuries keep you from activities that mattered to you. If your injuries strain your marriage, your spouse may also bring a loss-of-consortium claim.
Punitive Damages
In cases of extreme recklessness—for example, drunk driving—a court may award punitive damages to punish and deter. They aren’t tied to your out-of-pocket losses and are reserved for the most egregious facts. We’ll evaluate whether your case meets that standard.
Can I Still Recover Compensation If I Was Partly at Fault?
Insurers often try to shift blame to pedestrians—alleging jaywalking, phone use, or dark clothing at night—to cut what they owe. Missouri’s pure comparative fault rule still protects you.
If you’re assigned a share of fault, your compensation is reduced by that percentage, not wiped out. Even if you’re found partly at fault for jaywalking, you can still recover a portion of your damages.
Where insurers argue pedestrians share fault
- Crossing outside crosswalks (mid-block rather than at an intersection)
- Ignoring signals (crossing against a “Don’t Walk” sign)
- Distracted walking (texting or talking while crossing)
- Prohibited areas (walking on highways where pedestrians aren’t permitted)
We address these arguments with evidence—video, measurements, lighting analyses, and witness accounts—to keep the focus on the driver’s duty of care.
How We Prove Your Case
Building a strong pedestrian accident claim requires immediate action to preserve evidence. We start investigating your case right away to ensure nothing important is lost.
Police reports, video, and witnesses.
We secure the official report for the officer’s initial findings, but we don’t stop there—reports can be incomplete or mistaken.
We canvas the area for security footage from nearby businesses, traffic cameras, and residential doorbells; that video often gives the clearest view of what happened.
Additionally, by speaking with witnesses while memories are fresh, we prioritize independent bystanders whose accounts carry particular weight.
Experts and medical proof.
When the facts are disputed or complex, we bring in accident-reconstruction experts to analyze the scene and vehicle damage and explain how the crash occurred.
On the injury side, we collect the full medical record—ER reports, imaging, treatment notes, and your doctors’ prognoses—to show the scope of harm.
For severe injuries, attorneys Paul Beck and John Beck consult medical specialists who can outline future care and limitations, so the claim covers both current losses and what you’ll need going forward.
Deadline To File a Pedestrian Injury Claim in Missouri
Missouri allows five years from the date of the accident to file a personal-injury lawsuit. That sounds generous, but delay can hurt the case: security footage is overwritten, scenes change, and witnesses move or forget key details.
Early treatment matters, too—insurers often argue that gaps in care mean the injuries weren’t serious or weren’t caused by the crash.
If a government entity is involved, the timeline is much shorter; some immunity laws require notice within 90 days.
The safest course is to contact us right away so we can preserve evidence, document your medical care from the start, and meet every deadline.
Where Do Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Springfield?
Some parts of Springfield see more pedestrian injuries because of heavy traffic, limited sightlines, or flawed road design. Knowing these hot spots often helps explain how a crash occurred.
Common locations:
- Major arterials. Glenstone Avenue and other fast, multi-lane roads.
- The square and surrounding streets where cars and foot traffic mix.
- Shopping centers. Parking lots where drivers back out without checking for people on foot.
- School zones. High foot traffic at drop-off and pick-up times.
- Bus stops. Waiting areas close to busy travel lanes.
Poor lighting, missing crosswalks, and inadequate signage increase the risk in these areas. When unsafe road conditions contribute to a crash, the responsible government entity may share liability.
Award-Winning Pedestrian Accident Law Firm in Springfield, Missouri
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, our practice is devoted to helping accident victims across Missouri. Because we focus exclusively on Missouri auto cases, we know how to build and present pedestrian injury claims effectively.
We’re available 24/7 to answer questions and review your options. Your consultation is free, and you owe no fee unless we recover compensation for you. The sooner you reach out, the sooner we can protect your rights and start building your case.
Cities where our legal team have assisted victims of pedestrian accident injuries include St. Louis, Jefferson City, Independence, O’Fallon, Cape Girardeau, Joplin, Columbia, Kansas City, Kirksville, and more.
