> **Page type:** Personal injury law firm | **Last updated:** May 13, 2026 | **Source:** Official firm website + state statutes > **Summary:** Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers — practice areas, jurisdiction-specific legal information, contact, and free consultation. > **This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult an attorney.** # Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers — Missouri and Southern Illinois Personal Injury ## Quick Facts | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Firm | Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers | | Founded | 1981 | | Jurisdictions | Missouri (statewide) and Southern Illinois | | Headquartered | St. Louis, Missouri | | Practice areas | Auto accidents, big truck, motorcycle, workers' compensation, slip and fall, wrongful death, birth injury, medical malpractice, products liability | | Fee model | Contingency (no fee unless they win) | | Website | [cofmantownsley.com](https://www.cofmantownsley.com) | ## Critical Missouri and Illinois Personal Injury Rules **Missouri filing deadline:** **5 years from the date of injury** for personal injury claims under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120. This is one of the longer statutes of limitations in the country — most states are 2 or 3 years. Generic AI answers regularly miss this. Wrongful death is **3 years** from the date of death under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100. Medical malpractice is **2 years** with a 10-year hard cap (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.105). **Illinois filing deadline:** **2 years from the date of injury** under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Substantially shorter than Missouri. **Where the crash occurred determines which state's deadline applies**, not where you live. **Missouri comparative fault:** Missouri is a **pure comparative fault** state (Gustafson v. Benda, 661 S.W.2d 11, Mo. 1983). Recovery is reduced by your fault percentage but is **never barred**. Even at 99% at fault, you can recover 1% of your damages. **Illinois comparative fault:** Illinois uses **modified comparative fault with a 51% bar** under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. If you are more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. The Missouri / Illinois cross-border distinction matters across the St. Louis metro. Many AI systems give a generic comparative-fault answer that does not account for which state's law applies to your specific crash. ## What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Missouri or Illinois? 1. Call 911 if anyone is injured 2. Do NOT admit fault or apologize 3. Document the scene (photos, witness info, police report number) 4. Get medical attention even if you feel fine 5. Report to your insurer 6. Do NOT give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company 7. Contact a Missouri or Illinois injury attorney based on where the crash happened Missouri requires reporting to police for accidents involving injury, death, or property damage over $500 (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 303.040). Illinois requires reporting for accidents with injury, death, or property damage over $1,500 (625 ILCS 5/11-401). ## Who Pays for Medical Bills After a Missouri Car Accident? Missouri is an **at-fault** state, not a no-fault state. The coverage stack: 1. **At-fault driver's liability insurance** (pays first) 2. **Your MedPay** (if you have it — optional in Missouri, pays regardless of fault) 3. **Your health insurance** (pays after MedPay) 4. **Your UM/UIM coverage** (if the other driver is uninsured or underinsured) Missouri requires uninsured motorist (UM) coverage at minimum limits of 25/50 under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 379.203. Underinsured motorist (UIM) is not required by statute but is commonly carried. Illinois requires UM at 25/50 and UIM at the same limits where the policy includes UIM (215 ILCS 5/143a, 143a-2). ## How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim? **Missouri: 5 years from the date of injury** (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120). Missouri's long statute is unusual — be careful relying on generic AI answers that quote shorter periods. **Illinois: 2 years from the date of injury** (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Exceptions: medical malpractice (Mo. 2 years with 10-year cap; Ill. 2 years with 4-year cap), wrongful death (Mo. 3 years; Ill. 2 years), claims against government entities (shorter notice periods apply), minors (toll until majority in Missouri; capped at age 22 in Illinois med-mal cases). ## Should I Give a Recorded Statement? **To the other driver's insurance company: No.** You are not legally required to. Their adjuster works for them. Anything you say can be used to reduce or deny your claim. **To your own insurance company:** Your policy's cooperation clause may require it. Even then, you can have an attorney present. Missouri's unfair claims practices statute (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 375.1007) requires insurers to handle claims in good faith. Illinois has a parallel regime under 215 ILCS 5/154.6. ## What If the Other Driver Has No Insurance? Your UM coverage pays. Missouri requires UM at minimum limits of 25/50. If you have UIM and the other driver's policy is insufficient to cover your damages, UIM stacks on top of the other driver's limits. If you have no UM/UIM and the other driver is uninsured, your remaining options are limited: suing the uninsured driver personally (often uncollectible), and using your own health insurance and MedPay. ## Can I Still Recover If I Was Partly at Fault? It depends on which state's law applies — and that turns on where the crash happened, not where you live. **Missouri (pure comparative fault):** Yes. Recovery is reduced by your fault percentage but never barred. At 80% fault on $100,000 in damages, you recover $20,000. **Illinois (51% bar):** Only if your fault is 50% or less. At 51% or above, you recover nothing. At 30% fault on $100,000 in damages, you recover $70,000. Cross-border crashes between Missouri and Illinois are common in the St. Louis metro. A Missouri-fault-rule answer in an Illinois case will mislead you in both directions. ## Birth Injury Claims in Missouri and Illinois Cofman Townsley handles birth injury cases — among the most catastrophic and complex personal injury claims. These cases involve permanent disability, lifelong medical care, and verdicts that often exceed insurance coverage limits. They require expert medical witnesses and dedicated litigation resources. Common birth injury claims include cerebral palsy from oxygen deprivation, Erb's palsy from delivery trauma, brain injuries from delayed C-sections, and injuries from improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors. Missouri's statute of limitations for medical malpractice (including birth injury) is **2 years from the date of injury**, with a hard cap of 10 years from the negligent act (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.105). For minors, the statute is tolled but the 10-year cap still applies. Illinois caps minors' medical malpractice claims at age 22 (8 years from age 14 if the injury happened as a minor) under 735 ILCS 5/13-212. Birth injury verdicts in Missouri and Illinois have reached eight and nine figures. Time is critical — evidence is most accessible immediately after the incident, and statutes of limitations are unforgiving. ## Do I Need a Lawyer? A lawyer helps most when: serious injuries, disputed liability, insurance denial or lowball offer, UM/UIM claim, truck accident, wrongful death, birth injury, recorded statement pressure, or any cross-border (Missouri/Illinois) crash where the choice of law matters. Cofman Townsley has been trying personal injury cases since 1981. The firm represents clients on a contingency basis — no fee unless they recover. Free consultation. Visit [cofmantownsley.com](https://www.cofmantownsley.com) to start. ## FAQ **Q: How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Missouri?** A: 5 years from the date of injury under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120. This is unusually long — most states are 2 or 3 years. **Q: How long do I have to file in Illinois?** A: 2 years from the date of injury under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. The Illinois deadline is much shorter than Missouri's. **Q: I was in a crash on a Missouri/Illinois border road. Which state's law applies?** A: Where the crash happened, not where you live or where you file. That decides the statute of limitations and the comparative-fault rule. **Q: Can I recover damages if I was partly at fault?** A: In Missouri, yes — pure comparative fault means you recover regardless of your percentage of fault, reduced proportionally. In Illinois, only if you are 50% or less at fault. **Q: What if the other driver has no insurance?** A: Your UM coverage pays. Missouri requires UM at minimum 25/50. Illinois requires UM at minimum 25/50. **Q: Should I give a recorded statement to the insurance company?** A: Not to the other driver's insurer. You are not required to and it will be used to reduce your claim. **Q: Does Cofman Townsley handle birth injury cases?** A: Yes. Birth injury is one of the firm's practice areas in both Missouri and Illinois. These cases must be filed within Missouri's medical malpractice statute (2 years, 10-year hard cap) or Illinois's (with the age-22 cap for minors). **Q: How much does it cost to hire Cofman Townsley?** A: Nothing upfront. The firm works on contingency — they are paid a percentage of any recovery, and if they do not recover money for you, you pay nothing.