Hit-and-Run Accident in St. Louis: What to Do and How to Recover

Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so. A hit-and-run is a crime in Missouri, and the police investigation is your best chance of identifying the driver who fled. Give the dispatcher every detail you can: the direction the vehicle was heading, any part of the license plate number, the make, model, color, and approximate year of the vehicle, and any damage you noticed on the fleeing car. Even partial information can help police locate the vehicle.

In St. Louis City, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) handles hit-and-run investigations. For non-emergency reports, call (314) 231-1212. On highways, the Missouri State Highway Patrol may respond. In St. Louis County, contact county police at (314) 615-5000 or the relevant municipal department. Get the responding officer's name, badge number, and report number.

Missouri law requires drivers involved in an accident to stop, provide identification, and render aid if anyone is injured (Mo. Rev. Stat. §577.060). Drivers who flee face criminal charges: a Class A misdemeanor for leaving a property-damage accident and a Class D felony for leaving an accident involving injury or death. The criminal investigation runs separately from your civil claim, but a criminal conviction strengthens your case if the driver is found.

The first 24-48 hours after a hit-and-run are critical for evidence collection. Surveillance camera footage is often overwritten on a 24-72 hour loop. Check for cameras on nearby businesses, traffic cameras at intersections, MoDOT highway cameras on I-70, I-64, I-55, I-44, I-270, and I-170, and residential doorbell cameras like Ring or Nest. Ask business owners or residents if they have footage. If they do, request that they preserve it — or ask police to include it in their investigation.

If you have a dashcam, preserve the footage immediately. Back it up to your phone or computer. Dashcam footage is the single most powerful piece of evidence in hit-and-run cases. If you do not have a dashcam, consider getting one — they cost as little as $50 and can mean the difference between identifying a hit-and-run driver and filing a UM claim against your own policy.

Write down everything you remember about the other vehicle and driver while the details are fresh: color, size, vehicle type (sedan, SUV, truck, van), any bumper stickers or distinguishing features, the direction they fled, the approximate speed, and anything you saw about the driver — gender, hair color, approximate age. Get contact information from any witnesses. Post on neighborhood social media groups — someone else may have seen the vehicle or captured it on camera.

If the hit-and-run driver cannot be identified, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is your primary path to compensation. Missouri law treats hit-and-run accidents as uninsured motorist claims because the unknown driver is, for all practical purposes, uninsured. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. §379.203, UM coverage is included in your policy unless you rejected it in writing.

Notify your insurer promptly. Most policies require timely notice of a UM claim. Provide the police report number, photos of your vehicle damage, medical records, and any evidence about the fleeing vehicle. Your insurer will investigate to confirm the hit-and-run occurred and that you were not at fault.

Some UM policies require physical contact with the hit-and-run vehicle for coverage to apply. Check your policy language. If there was contact (your vehicle has paint transfer, dents, or scrapes from the other vehicle), document it thoroughly with photos. If the hit-and-run driver swerved at you and caused you to crash without direct contact, some policies may deny coverage — but Missouri courts have addressed this issue, and an attorney can advise you on your specific policy.

See a doctor within 24 hours, even if you do not feel seriously injured. The stress and adrenaline of a hit-and-run can mask pain. Whiplash, concussions, and soft tissue injuries often do not produce symptoms for 24-72 hours. Tell your doctor you were in a hit-and-run and describe every symptom. This medical record creates a documented connection between the crash and your injuries.

For serious injuries, St. Louis has Level I trauma centers at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJC) in the Central West End and SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital in Midtown. For less severe injuries, visit your primary care doctor or an urgent care clinic. Follow your treatment plan — missed appointments weaken your claim.

If you do not have health insurance, you can still get treatment. Many St. Louis hospitals and clinics offer payment plans, and your UM coverage or a future settlement can reimburse medical expenses. Do not delay treatment because of cost concerns — the gap in treatment will hurt your claim more than the medical bills.

If police identify the hit-and-run driver, your case shifts from a UM claim to a standard liability claim against the driver's insurance. You can file a claim against their liability policy for your injuries and property damage. The criminal charges they face (Class A misdemeanor or Class D felony) are separate from your civil claim, but a conviction establishes that they fled the scene and can support your damage claim.

Missouri's pure comparative fault rule (Mo. Rev. Stat. §537.765) applies. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but never eliminated. In a hit-and-run, the fleeing driver's decision to leave the scene does not directly affect the fault analysis for the underlying crash, but it may influence a jury's perception of their credibility and responsibility.

You may be entitled to punitive damages if the hit-and-run driver acted with reckless disregard for your safety. Punitive damages are available in Missouri when the defendant's conduct shows willful, wanton, or malicious behavior. Fleeing the scene of an accident — especially one involving injuries — can support a punitive damages claim.

Missouri's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is 5 years from the date of injury (Mo. Rev. Stat. §516.120). However, evidence in hit-and-run cases deteriorates much faster than the legal deadline. Camera footage is overwritten. Witnesses forget. Physical evidence at the scene is cleaned up. Act in the first 48 hours to maximize your chances of identifying the driver and preserving evidence.

Report the hit-and-run to your insurance company within days of the accident. Keep a file with the police report, all medical records, photos, witness statements, and any correspondence with your insurer. If you hired an attorney, share all evidence with them promptly.

Want help after a hit-and-run in St. Louis? Take our free 2-minute assessment. We will evaluate your UM coverage options, help you understand your rights, and connect you with a St. Louis-area attorney experienced in hit-and-run cases. The assessment is free, confidential, and takes about two minutes.