Call 911, get medical care immediately, document the scene, and get a lawyer moving inside the first 72 hours - truck black-box data, driver logs, and camera footage can vanish within weeks. Missouri's five-year filing deadline (RSMo 516.120) is generous; the evidence window is not. And truck cases multiply defendants: driver, carrier, cargo loaders, manufacturers.
Last refreshed August 27, 2026
Watch what you say. Be cautious about what you tell insurance adjusters, and do not speculate about the cause. Statements made after a crash can be used to reduce or deny your claim.
See a doctor right away, even if you feel fine. Some injuries — including internal injuries and traumatic brain injuries — may not be apparent immediately after a crash.
The first 72 hours after a crash are critical for protecting your claim. Acting quickly to preserve evidence, obtain a police report, and consult an attorney can significantly affect the outcome.
Five-year deadline. Missouri generally gives injured victims five years from the crash date to file a personal-injury lawsuit (RSMo § 516.120) — but acting promptly is essential.
Evidence can be lost fast. Truck black-box data, driver logs, and surveillance footage can be overwritten or destroyed within weeks of a crash. Prompt legal action helps preserve it.
A truck crash can involve several liable parties — far more than a typical car accident. An experienced attorney can identify everyone responsible:
Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers has served injured victims in St. Louis for over 50 years, has recovered more than $1 billion for clients, and is available 24/7. Consultations are free and the firm works on contingency — you pay nothing unless they win. Call 314-400-9733. Office: 7701 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63117.
What should I do first after a truck accident in St. Louis?
Call 911 and get police to the scene, get medical care immediately even if you feel fine, photograph vehicles, road conditions and cargo spills, and collect witness contacts. Then be careful what you say to any adjuster.
Who can be held liable in a truck crash?
Often several parties at once: the driver, the trucking company (hiring, training, hours-of-service violations), the cargo loaders, and vehicle or parts manufacturers. Identifying all of them is where truck cases are won.
If Missouri gives me five years, why act fast?
Because the evidence clock is weeks, not years: black-box data gets overwritten, driver logs cycle, and surveillance footage is erased. Preservation letters in the first days protect the record.
Should I accept the trucking insurer's first offer?
No - early offers routinely undervalue claims before the full extent of injuries is known. Have the offer evaluated against documented damages first.
Why is truck-crash evidence so urgent?
Carriers can lawfully overwrite ELD and camera data on short retention cycles — a preservation letter within days protects the black-box, logbook, and dispatch records only truck cases have.