A bad car wreck can change your life in an instant. Severe injuries mean expensive hospital bills, ongoing care, and the risk of a lasting disability. Your career or future plans could be at stake. You may not be able to live independently. In the case of fatal collisions, there may be a hole in your life after losing a loved one.
CPY Law is here to help. We know that car “accidents” are rarely accidents. Someone is usually at fault. Our attorneys can hold negligent drivers accountable for their actions. As your case progresses, our law firm will answer your questions, keep you updated, and seek maximum compensation. We want what’s best for you.
While you heal or grieve, we’ll lead the fight. For a free, no-obligation consultation with our car wreck lawyers in Kansas City, MO, contact CPY Law today.
Where Car Wrecks Happen in the Kansas City Area
Here are just a few places where car crashes happen in and around Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass counties.
- Grandview Triangle (3-Trails Crossing Memorial Highway): An estimated 250,000 vehicles pass through this busy interchange each day. The mix of commuters and commercial drivers on I-435, I-49, and Highway 71 mean a high risk of collisions.
- Interstate 35: Plenty of drivers take I-35 as part of their commute and to get in and out of downtown.
- Southwest Trafficway and 43rd Street/Westport Road: Locals call it “the Triangle of Death” for a reason. The weird angles and mix of drivers and pedestrians can lead to major crashes.
- Independence Avenue: Independence Avenue has a history of fatal crashes. It’s also got that infamous truck-eating bridge, which can tie up traffic and lead to multi-vehicle collisions.
- Truman Road: High speeds, steady traffic, and confusing intersections can cause all kinds of headaches for drivers while increasing the risk of crashes. The same can be said of Troost Avenue and Prospect Avenue.
Factors That Increase the Risk of Car Crashes in Kansas City
While crashes are more common in certain parts of KC, these factors can increase the likelihood of crashes.
- Sporting Events: If there’s a Royals game at The K, a Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium, a Current game at CPKC Stadium, or Division I basketball at the T-Mobile Center, there’s risk of potential collisions on the interstate and nearby surface streets due to extra congestion and the presence of reckless or intoxicated drivers.
- Concerts and Festivals: Major concerts at the T-Mobile Center, the Starlight Theatre, or Grinders KC can lead to heavy traffic and drunk driving around those venues. The same is true of outdoor festivals and other events going on around town.
- Driving at Night: Driving at night means poor lighting, bad visibility, the bars and clubs have closed, and drivers could be tired behind the wheel. Even if you’re being careful, there’s no guarantee about others on the road.
- Bad Weather: Rain, ice, and snow can make roads much more dangerous. Local drivers need to exercise extra caution when there’s wet weather or a risk of black ice in the winter months.
- Poor Road Conditions: Some KCMO streets like Wornall Road have fallen into disrepair due to weather and a lack of maintenance. Potholes, pools of water, broken signals, and missing signs could all contribute to a bad car wreck.
Common Causes of Car Wrecks in Kansas City
Below are some of the most common causes of car crashes in KCMO.
Speeding and Reckless Driving
Speed limits and traffic laws exist for a reason. When people drive way above the speed limit, refuse to use their turn signals, cut others off, or tailgate, it increases the chances of a serious incident.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is any kind of action that diverts a driver’s hands from the wheel or eyes from the road. This could mean texting while driving, rubbernecking, eating while driving, or making a call without a hands-free kit.
Drunk and Impaired Driving
Driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol slows down reaction times and impairs good judgment. If you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, our DWI injury attorneys can hold them accountable and seek compensation.
Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue is a common issue with truckers, rideshare drivers, and other commercial drivers. Long hours spent on the road can lead to drowsiness and potential crashes. The effects can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.
Defective Vehicles or Parts
If vehicles are poorly designed or auto parts don’t work properly, they can cause a major car crash. Our lawyers can take on automakers, tire manufacturers, vehicle maintenance professionals, and other parties that may have contributed to your injuries.
Potential Injuries Sustained in a Car Wreck
Some potential injuries people suffer in car crash include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): This includes concussions, brain contusions, brain hemorrhages, and other types of severe head trauma.
- Whiplash and Other Neck Injuries: Whiplash and injuries to the neck can cause severe pain and limitations in movement.
- Back and Spine Injuries: Back and spinal injuries can cause mobility limitations and, in severe cases, paraplegia or quadriplegia/tetraplegia.
- Fractured Bones and Joints: A bad crash can cause severe fractures, broken ribs, and injuries to various joints.
- Damage to Internal Organs: The sheer force of a car crash can damage organs like the kidneys, liver, spleen, and lungs.
- Partial and Full Thickness Burns: If there’s a post-crash fire, a driver or passengers may experience severe burns if they are pinned inside the vehicle.
- Loss of Limbs: Some car wrecks cause severe injuries that result in the loss of a limb at the crash site or the need for amputation after the collision.
Understanding Catastrophic Injuries from a Car Crash
Catastrophic injuries are injuries that result in a life-altering disability or disfigurement that affects a person’s ability to live independently. This could mean an inability to work like you did before the collision, or changes in how you interact with your spouse or child.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury in a car crash, our Kansas City lawyers will work to hold the negligent party accountable. We will seek maximum compensation to address the long-term changes to your life and livelihood.
Compensation in a Car Crash Claim
Collision victims can seek compensation for any losses caused by a crash. This includes economic damages (measurable financial losses) and non-economic damages (subjective and intangible losses).
- Medical Expenses and Future Care: This includes the cost of the ambulance, stabilizing care, and hospitalization. This also covers ongoing medical needs, such as physical rehabilitation, specialist visits, and occupational therapy.
- Vehicle and Property Damage: This includes the cost of repairing a damaged vehicle or replacing a totaled vehicle. Compensation will also cover replacing any personal belongings damaged during the crash (e.g., cellphones, laptops, tablets, valuables).
- Lost Wages and Future Earnings: This includes time off from work while recovering from injuries. This also includes loss of future earning potential for car wrecks that cause long-term or permanent disabilities.
- Pain and Suffering: This includes mental anguish, emotional distress, chronic pain from lingering injuries, and ongoing sleep disturbances.
- Lower Quality of Life: This includes loss of enjoyment in your favorite hobbies, a reduced sense of well-being or contentment, and any strain on your interpersonal relationships after the crash.
At CPY Law, we’ll help you understand how much your case is really worth.
Damages for Fatal Car Wrecks
If you’ve lost a family member in a fatal crash, you have our deepest sympathies.
When you’re ready to speak with our lawyers, we can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit against the liable party. Damages in a fatal car wreck claim can help cover funeral expenses, grief counseling, and the pain of losing a loved one’s companionship.
How Shared Fault in a Collision Affects Compensation in Missouri
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule (RSMo § 537.765), which means you can still seek compensation if you were partly or mostly at fault in a car accident. Your compensation is reduced by your share of liability.
For example, say that you were hurt in a car crash near Kauffman Stadium and receive $100,000 in compensation. However, you were found 10% liable for the collision. Because of pure comparative fault, you’d still receive $90,000 in compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Crash Lawsuit in Kansas City, MO?
The statute of limitations for car wrecks in Missouri can vary depending on what happened.
- For injury crashes, you typically have five years from the date of the collision to file a personal injury lawsuit (RSMo § 516.120)
- For fatal car wrecks, you typically have three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit (RSMo § 537.100)
Keep in mind that there are exceptions to these statutes of limitations. If the car wreck involved a government entity, for example, you need to file a formal notice of a claim within 90 days of the crash.
While you may have a few years to file a lawsuit, it’s best to contact our Kansas City car crash lawyers as soon as possible. The team at CPY Law can secure key evidence, build a strong case, and communicate with the insurance company on your behalf to help ensure maximum compensation.
Why Choose CPY Law If You’ve Been Hurt in a Car Crash in Kansas City
If you’ve been in a car wreck in Kansas City, our injury attorneys want to hear from you. Our clients always come first, and our team is built for the fight ahead.
Here’s why KCMO can trust CPY Law after a bad crash.
- Experience and Legal Excellence: The team at CPY Law have decades of combined experience practicing personal injury law. We work closely with clients and their families to find the best path forward.
- We’re Focused on Accountability: We seek accountability from others and demand the same from ourselves. That’s why we do what we say, and we ask the same of our colleagues and staff. When you hire us, we own the problem and lead the fight forward.
- Free and Confidential Consultations: There are no upfront legal fees just to speak with our lawyers. Consultations are free, confidential, and no-obligation. We want to hear about what happened and help you understand your best options for compensation.
- Clients Pay Us Nothing Unless We Win: CPY Law works on a contingency fee basis. What does that mean? It means that you pay us nothing unless and until your car wreck case is successfully resolved. If our attorneys don’t win, you pay nothing.
Contact Our Kansas City Car Crash Attorneys Near You
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a crash, CPY Law is here to seek accountability and offer whatever we can. We’re ready to listen, and we’re here to help. For a free consultation with our car accident lawyers in Kansas City, contact our law firm today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Wrecks in Kansas City
Below are some of the most common questions we’ve heard from car crash clients.
What should I do if I was in a car accident in Kansas City, MO?
If you get into a car wreck in KCMO, here are steps you can take to ensure your safety and help improve the value of your claim.
- Check for Injuries and Move to Safety: Check yourself and any passengers for injuries. If you can, move your vehicle out of the flow of traffic to prevent other possible collisions.
- Call 911: Notify authorities about the crash and cooperate with first responders and law enforcement when they arrive at the scene.
- Exchange Information with All Parties Involved: Get the contact and insurance information from any other motorists involved in the incident. You should also get contact information from any witnesses at the scene of the crash.
- Document the Collision Site: If you can, take photos and videos of the collision site, vehicle damage, your injuries, skid marks, debris, and any other objects or details that may be relevant to the cause of the incident.
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you feel okay after the crash, go see a doctor to get checked out. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent. By getting an exam, you can get treated before symptoms get worse and establish a medical record of injuries sustained in the collision.
- Contact a Local Car Crash Lawyer: Reach out to our attorneys to discuss what happened and how you can maximize compensation. Don’t go it alone with the insurance company.
Does not wearing a seat belt affect how much my crash claim is worth in Missouri?
Yes, but only a limited amount. If you were not wearing a seat belt and were hurt in a crash, your recovery will only be reduced by 1% max under Missouri law. Per RSMo § 307.178, failure to wear a seat belt is not considered a form of comparative negligence.
Can passengers file lawsuits if they’re injured in a car crash in Missouri?
Yes, injured passengers can file claims if they’re hurt in a car wreck in Missouri. This applies to both commuter vehicle collisions and rideshare crashes with companies like Uber and Lyft.
Passengers may be able to hold the driver of the other vehicle or the driver of the vehicle they were riding in liable for injuries.
What are my legal options for car wrecks that involve autopilot or self-driving?
Your legal options in self-driving or autopilot crashes depend on how and why the collision occurred. Our injury lawyers can review the circumstances of the collision and determine who can be held accountable for the crash.
In some cases, the owner or operator of the self-driving vehicle is responsible for the collision. However, an automaker can be held liable if there are design flaws in a car’s self-driving or autopilot system that contributed to a crash.
What tactics do insurance companies use to decrease car accident settlement amounts?
Here are just a few tactics that insurance companies use to reduce the value of a car crash claim:
- Offering a Quick Settlement: If you’re injured, your car’s totaled, and you’re unable to work, insurance companies will try to prey on your desperation and need for a quick payout.
- Asking You for a Recorded Statement: Insurance companies may try to get you to record a statement about the collision, hoping that you misspeak or misremember what happened, or that you suggest you’re not badly hurt.
- Downplaying the Severity of Your Injuries: Insurance companies may claim you’re not as badly injured as you seem, or that your injuries are part of a pre-existing health condition rather than the collision itself.
- Stalling and Delaying the Claims Process: Insurance companies may stretch out the claims process by requesting documentation, changing your claims adjuster, saying the matter is under investigation, or stalling on a final payout.
- Hiring Private Investigators for Surveillance: Sometimes insurance companies will scour your social media or hire an investigator to watch you for any evidence that your injuries are not as serious as you reported.
