Typical Motorcycle Accident Settlement in Missouri

By James Roswold | October 13, 2025

Typical Motorcycle Accident Settlement in MissouriIf you’re reading this, you’ve probably been through something awful. A motorcycle crash turns your world upside down in a second. Now, amid the pain and confusion, you want to know how much your case is worth.

Based on the data available, the “average” motorcycle accident settlement in Missouri is about $2,129,875, with a median around $600,000. However, that figure likely reflects a few large outlier cases skewing the number higher — for more typical (non-catastrophic) cases, settlement amounts are often much lower.

Anyone who throws out a figure without knowing every detail of your accident case is not giving you the whole story. Your story is not average; your injuries are not average; and your motorcycle settlement should not be either. But you still deserve to understand how a settlement is built, so we will break down what really goes into these calculations.

Table of Contents:

Why There’s No Simple “Average” Settlement Number

Think about two different motorcycle riders involved in separate motorcycle accidents. The first gets clipped in a parking lot, suffers some road rash, and misses a week of work. The second rider is hit by a distracted driver on the highway and sustains a life-altering spinal cord injury, a common motorcycle injury.

It’s pretty clear their settlement amounts would be vastly different. Lumping them together to get an “average settlement” doesn’t help either accident victim. It just creates a misleading number that doesn’t apply to anyone’s real situation or financial losses.

Your motorcycle accident case has its own set of facts. The value depends entirely on the specific losses you’ve suffered. That’s why we need to look at the building blocks of a settlement instead of a made-up average or even a median settlement.

What Actually Determines Your Motorcycle Accident Settlement Amount?

A fair settlement is not a random number. It’s a calculated amount meant to help you recover compensation for everything you’ve lost because of the crash. We can split these losses, or “damages,” into two main categories.

Economic Damages: The Bills You Can See

This is the most straightforward part of your motorcycle accident claim. These are the tangible, out-of-pocket costs that have a clear price tag. You or your motorcycle accident attorney will gather receipts, bills, and pay stubs to prove these expenses.

Your economic damages will include all of your medical expenses. This covers the ambulance ride, the emergency room visit, any surgeries you needed, and hospital stays. It also includes follow-up appointments, physical therapy, prescription medications, and even things like crutches or a wheelchair.

If your doctors believe you’ll need medical care in the future because of your suffered injuries, that gets factored in too. Then there are your lost wages. If your injuries kept you from working, you deserve to be paid for that lost income from the at-fault motor vehicle driver.

It also covers future lost earning capacity. If your injury prevents you from going back to your old job or from working at all, that is a huge financial loss that must be part of your settlement. Finally, we have property damage, which covers the cost to either repair your Missouri motorcycle or replace it if it was totaled in the car accident.

Non-Economic Damages: The Pain You Can’t Bill For

This category is much more personal and harder to put a price on. These are the very real but intangible losses you suffer. How do you put a dollar value on constant pain?

This is what non-economic damages are for, compensating for pain and suffering. It is payment for the physical pain, the discomfort, and the emotional trauma you have been through. Insurance adjusters might use formulas, but a good accident lawyer considers your personal story of suffering.

You might also be able to claim a loss of enjoyment of life. Maybe riding your motorcycle was your passion, your way to unwind on the weekend. If you can’t do that anymore, play with your kids, or do your favorite hobbies, that is a real loss that requires compensation.

Many accident victims also deal with serious emotional distress. Things like anxiety, depression, or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common after a traumatic motorcycle accident lawsuit. This is a very real part of your injury claim.

Common Causes of Missouri Motorcycle Accidents

Understanding how most motorcycle accidents happen is important for building a strong case. Often, the crash is the result of another driver’s negligence. A motorcycle accident lawyer frequently sees certain types of collisions.

Many car accidents involving motorcycles occur when a car makes a left-hand turn in front of an oncoming rider at an intersection. The driver of the car either misjudges the motorcycle’s speed or simply fails to see it at all. These crashes are often devastating for the rider.

Another frequent cause is unsafe lane changes. Drivers in larger motor vehicles may not check their blind spots thoroughly before moving over, clipping a motorcyclist or forcing them off the road. Distracted driving is another major factor in many car accidents and truck accident cases today.

The Role of Fault in a Missouri Motorcycle Accident

Missouri law plays a huge part in how much you can recover. The state uses a legal rule called “pure comparative fault.” This sounds complicated, but the idea is simple.

Missouri’s law states that your final settlement or jury award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So, if you are found to be 10% responsible for the accident, your total compensation will be cut by 10%. This rule applies to all accident claims, including a bicycle accident or premises liability case.

Let’s say your total damages are calculated at $100,000. But the evidence shows you were speeding slightly, and a court decides you were 20% at fault. In this case, your settlement would be reduced by 20%, or $20,000, and you would receive $80,000.

Because of this rule, the other driver’s insurance company will work very hard to pin some of the blame on you. They will look for any excuse, like saying you were in their blind spot or that you changed lanes improperly. This is a key reason why having an accident attorney and strong evidence that shows the other driver was at fault is so critical for your motorcycle accident case.

How Insurance Policy Limits Impact Your Settlement

Here’s a hard truth about personal injury cases: you can only recover what is available. Often, the biggest roadblock to a fair settlement is the at-fault driver’s insurance policy limit. You can have a million-dollar injury, but if the driver only has a $50,000 policy, that’s all their insurance company will pay.

In Missouri, drivers are only required to carry a minimum of $25,000 per person for bodily injury. They must also have $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. As you know from your own medical bills, $25,000 can disappear incredibly fast after a serious St. Louis MO crash.

This is where your own insurance policy becomes very important. Hopefully, you have Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage. UM coverage pays for your injuries if you’re hit by someone with no insurance, and UIM coverage kicks in when the at-fault driver’s policy limits are too low to cover all your damages.

For motorcyclists, having high UM/UIM limits is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It is often the only way to get full compensation after a serious St. Louis motorcycle accident. An injury attorney can help you explore all available legal options to maximize your recovery.

Thinking About the Average Motorcycle Accident Settlement Missouri: Some Real Numbers

So after all that, you still want some idea of the numbers. While there is no official average for motorcycle accident settlements, we can look at some examples to understand how widely these settlements can vary. Please remember, these are just illustrations and not a guarantee of what your case is worth.

Your case value depends on your specific injuries and losses. The numbers below show how injury severity dramatically changes the potential outcome. A settlement for a case involving serious, life-changing injuries will be many times larger than one for minor injuries.

 

Injury Severity Potential Settlement Range Notes
Minor (road rash, sprains, bruises) $15,000 – $30,000 This typically covers initial emergency room bills, some follow-up care, and a few weeks of lost work.
Moderate (broken bones, concussion) $50,000 – $250,000+ This range accounts for surgery, physical therapy, and a longer period of lost income. The value increases with the severity and permanence of the injury.
Severe (TBI, paralysis, amputation) $500,000 – Millions These cases involve damages for immense pain and suffering, future medical needs, permanent disability, and a total loss of earning capacity.

 

Again, these figures are not promises. They simply show the massive difference that the severity of your suffered injuries makes. Someone with a broken leg and someone with a traumatic brain injury from a similar accident will have vastly different settlements because their lives are impacted in completely different ways.

Steps to Take After a Missouri Motorcycle Accident

The actions you take immediately after a crash can significantly impact your health and your ability to file a successful accident claim. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, try to stay calm. Your top priority should always be your safety and well-being.

First, seek medical attention right away, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline can mask pain, and some serious injuries, like internal bleeding or concussions, may not have immediate symptoms. Having a medical record from the day of the accident is also crucial for your personal injury claim.

Next, contact the police to file an official report and, if possible, get the other driver’s information. If there are witnesses, try to get their contact details as well. Document the scene by taking pictures of your motorcycle, the other vehicle, road conditions, and your injuries before seeking legal action.

What if the Accident Results in a Fatality?

Tragically, some motorcycle accident claims involve the death of the rider. In these heartbreaking situations, the surviving family members may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This type of legal action seeks compensation for the losses the family has suffered due to their loved one’s passing.

In Missouri, a wrongful death claim can typically be filed by the surviving spouse, children, or parents of the deceased. The compensation sought can cover funeral and burial expenses, lost income the deceased would have provided, and loss of companionship and support. A law firm with experience in these sensitive cases can guide a family through the process with compassion.

Why Working With a Lawyer Can Make a Difference

You might be tempted to handle this yourself, especially if the insurance adjuster seems friendly at first. But the adjuster’s job is to save their company money by paying you as little as possible. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) knows motorcyclists are much more vulnerable to serious injury in a crash.

Insurance companies know this too. They may try to use the unfair bias against riders to their advantage, arguing you were somehow reckless just for being on a bike. An experienced personal injury attorney from a reputable law firm in a city like Kansas City or St. Louis MO, levels the playing field.

A good motorcycle accident lawyer handles the entire process for you. They offer a free case evaluation to discuss your legal options. After you hire them, they collect police reports, witness statements, and your medical records, and may even hire experts to prove how the crash happened before starting a motorcycle accident lawsuit.

Your attorney will calculate the full, long-term cost of your injuries and negotiate from a position of strength. If the insurance company refuses a fair offer, your personal injury attorney will be prepared to take them to court. This gives you the best chance to recover compensation for your motorcycle accident claim.

Conclusion

So what is the average motorcycle accident settlement in Missouri? The real answer is that the only settlement that matters is the one that is fair for you. It’s not about an average from past motorcycle accident settlements.

It is about getting the full compensation you need to cover your medical bills, your lost income, and your pain to rebuild your life. The highest motorcycle accident settlements are achieved when all factors of an injury claim are properly documented and argued by a skilled legal professional. Many lawyers offer a free consultation, giving you a chance to understand your rights without any obligation.

Understanding all the factors that go into your motorcycle accident claim is the first step in protecting your rights. Contact a qualified law firm today to begin your case evaluation and get the help you deserve.

Our attorneys are ready to help you. Give us a call or engage with our chat to receive a free case evaluation.

Posted in Motorcycle Accidents