Front-end collisions can cause serious and potentially fatal injuries. This is particularly true for the drivers and front-seat passengers of both vehicles. In many instances, these head-on car wrecks are not “accidents.” Rather, there’s usually a negligent driver, a problem with a vehicle, or issues with road conditions that caused or contributed to the incident.
CPY Law is here to help. Our Kansas City car crash attorneys can guide you through the claims process after a head-on collision. We’ll compile evidence to identify the cause of the crash, communicate with the insurance company, and take your case to trial if it’s best for you and your family.
You focus on healing while we focus on the fight. For a free, no-obligation consultation with our head-on car crash lawyers, contact our Kansas City, MO law firm today.
The Dangers of Head-On Car Crashes
Head-on car wrecks generate a tremendous amount of force. When the front ends of both vehicles collide, the driver and front-seat passenger face the risk of suffering severe injuries. In many front-end crashes, the injuries sustained prove fatal.
Even at low speeds, a head-on crash can cause head trauma, whiplash, back injuries, and all kinds of soft tissue damage.
The attorneys at CPY Law encourage you to seek medical attention after a head-on collision or any type of vehicle incident in Kansas City, even if you feel okay. Some signs of injury may not be obvious until days or weeks after you’ve been hurt in a wreck.
Common Causes of Head-On Car Wrecks in Kansas City
There are numerous reasons why these lane departure collisions occur. Here are just a few common reasons for front-end crashes in and around Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass counties.
Passing/Overtaking Other Vehicles
When aggressive or impatient drivers try to overtake slower vehicles, they put themselves and other motorists at risk. This is risky on city streets and in the suburbs, and the dangers are only heightened when drivers try to overtake other vehicles on two-lane highways.
Drunk/Intoxicated Driving
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs severely impairs decision-making skills, reaction times, and coordination. The risk of a lane departure or driving the wrong way on a one-way street increases whenever drivers are impaired.
Driver Fatigue
When people are tired behind the wheel, it can be just as dangerous as intoxicated driving. While driver fatigue can affect commuters, these kinds of crashes are often associated with commercial truck drivers, delivery drivers, and people who work for rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft.
Distracted Driving
Distractions behind the wheel take many forms, including texting while driving, looking up directions, rubbernecking, and eating while driving. When a hand is off the wheel or attention gets diverted, there’s a higher risk of a lane departure and a potential front-end collision with another vehicle.
Reckless Driving
Drivers who refuse to follow traffic laws in Kansas City or who fail to yield increase the chances of head-on crashes. Reckless actions behind the wheel might include refusing to signal while turning, ignoring signs about road closures or yielding, cutting off other vehicles, and driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
Medical Emergencies Behind the Wheel
Some head-on collisions are the result of a driver suffering a medical emergency while they are driving. This could be a heart attack, a seizure, an asthma attack, or a narcoleptic sleep attack. The dangers of these crashes are severe.
Poor Road Conditions or Roadway Design
Some road designs or roadway conditions in Kansas City make head-on crashes more likely. This may include confusing lane lines, lack of signage, malfunctioning traffic signals, or potholes and other dangerous conditions that have not been repaired or remedied.
Potential for Catastrophic Injuries in a Head-On Vehicle Collision
The force of a front-end crash means a higher risk of suffering catastrophic injuries. A catastrophic injury is an injury that causes a life-altering disability or disfigurement that affects a person’s ability to live independently.
Examples of catastrophic injuries that may be sustained in a head-on collision include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries, particularly those that result in paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Compound fractures and broken joints
- Loss of a limb
- Impairment of vision or hearing
- Damage to internal organs
How Catastrophic Injuries Affect Your Future
A catastrophic injury will often impact your mobility and overall quality of life. Long-term medical treatment may be required to address the trauma you experienced. In cases of disability, you may need to change careers because of physical or cognitive limitations caused by the head-on collision.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury in a head-on crash, our Kansas City attorneys will fight to hold the negligent party accountable. We will seek maximum compensation to address the lasting changes to your life and livelihood.
Compensation in a Head-On Car Crash Claim
Compensation for a front-end car crash includes economic damages (measurable financial losses) and non-economic damages (subjective and intangible losses).
- Medical Bills and Future Care: This includes any emergency care and hospitalization, follow-up visits, surgery, and ongoing needs such as physical rehabilitation and occupational therapy.
- Vehicle and Property Damage: This includes repair or replacement of a vehicle in a front-end crash as well as any belongings that were damaged in the wreck.
- Lost Income and Future Earnings: This includes loss of earnings due to medical leave from work. This also covers loss of future earning capacity because of injuries that result in long-term or permanent disability.
- Pain and Suffering: This includes mental anguish, PTSD, emotional distress, chronic pain from your injuries, and insomnia or other sleep disturbances.
- Lower Quality of Life: This includes reduced ability to engage in certain hobbies, a diminished sense of contentment, and any strain the collision has caused in your relationships.
At CPY Law, we’ll review what happened and help you understand how much your head-on car accident claim is really worth.
Damages in Fatal Front-End Car Wrecks
If you lost a loved one in a fatal head-on collision, you have our deep condolences.
When you are ready to discuss the crash, our attorneys can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit against the liable party. Compensation in a fatal head-on collision lawsuit can help cover funeral expenses, the cost of grief counseling, and the pain of losing your family member’s companionship.
How Shared Fault Affects Compensation in Missouri
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule (RSMo § 537.765). This means you can still seek compensation if you were partly or mostly at fault in a front-end collision.
For example, say that you were in a front-end crash around Country Club Plaza and receive $100,000 in compensation. However, you were found 25% at fault for the incident. Because of pure comparative fault, you’d still receive $75,000 in compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Head-On Crash Lawsuit in Kansas City, MO?
The statute of limitations for head-on car wrecks in Missouri can vary depending on what happened.
- For head-on crashes that cause injuries, you typically have five years from the date of the car wreck to file a personal injury lawsuit (RSMo § 516.120)
- For fatal head-on car wrecks, you typically have three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death action (RSMo § 537.100)
Note that there are exceptions to these deadlines. If the front-end crash involved a government entity, for example, you need to file a formal notice of claim within 90 days of the incident.
Don’t delay. It’s best to contact our Kansas City head-on accident lawyers as soon as possible. CPY Law can secure key evidence, identify all potential sources of compensation, and communicate with the insurance company on your behalf.
Why Choose CPY Law After a Head-On Collision in Kansas City
After a head-on collision in Kansas City, our injury attorneys can fight for you. Our clients always come first, and our team is ready for the fight ahead.
Here’s why people all over KCMO trust CPY Law after a bad front-end car wreck.
- Reliability and Legal Excellence: We know that many motorists come to us experiencing a major injury or disruption to their daily lives. Our goal is to provide straightforward info, clear communication, and thoughtful legal representation every step of the way.
- We Hold Ourselves and Others Accountable: CPY Law seeks accountability from others. We also demand the same from ourselves. When you hire us after a head-on crash, we will own the problem and lead the fight forward. We do what we say, and we ask the same of our staff and colleagues.
- Free and Confidential Consultations: At CPY Law, you pay nothing upfront to speak with a head-on car wreck lawyer. Case evaluations are free, confidential, and no obligation. Our attorneys want to hear what happened and give you our honest assessment of your case and best options.
- Clients Pay Nothing Unless We Win: You owe us nothing unless and until we win. Our car wreck lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid after your head-on collision case is successfully resolved. If we don’t win, you pay nothing.
Contact Our Kansas City Head-On Car Accident Attorneys Near You
A serious head-on collision could change all aspects of your personal and professional life. Rest assured that you do not have to face these challenges alone. The attorneys at CPY Law can help you seek maximum compensation for your medical bills and other losses. Let us handle the fight while you focus on recovery. For a free consultation with our head-on car crash lawyers in Kansas City, contact our law firm today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Head-On Car Crashes in Kansas City
Below are some of the most common questions we’ve heard from clients hurt in front-end crashes.
What are my legal options if the other driver was using autopilot/self-driving mode?
If a driver was using autopilot or another self-driving mode at the time of a front-end crash, you may be able to file a claim against the driver or against the maker of the vehicle. It depends on the nature of the head-on collision, and the use of self-driving may be just one of multiple factors involved.
The team at CPY Law can carefully investigate the car wreck from all angles, noting all potential causes and contributing factors.
Does a medical emergency excuse the driver who caused a head-on car wreck?
Possibly, but not necessarily.
If the heart attack, stroke, seizure, or other health condition was sudden and unforeseeable, the driver may not have been able to prevent what occurred and may not be negligent for the crash.
However, if the medical emergency was associated with an existing health condition and the driver avoided medical treatment, failed to take their medication, or ignored any major symptoms or warning signs of their condition, they could be considered negligent in a head-on crash.
What if I was injured swerving out of the way to avoid a head-on car crash?
If you were in a near-miss or no-contact crash because you swerved to avoid a collision, you may be able to seek compensation. The other vehicle does not have to hit you in order for the driver to be considered negligent.
In no-contact collisions in which the negligent driver flees the scene of a collision, our Kansas City crash injury lawyers can assist in the investigation of the miss-and-run incident. Note that you still have options for compensation even if the near-miss driver cannot be identified.
How do accident reconstruction experts determine what happened in the head-on collision?
Accident reconstruction experts will typically look at:
- The vehicle damage (e.g., crush patterns, bumper heights)
- The presence of tire marks on the road (e.g., skid marks, yaw marks)
- The resting positions of the vehicle and any debris
- Electronic data or event data recorders (EDR)
- Dash cam, security camera, and CCTV footage
- Medical records before and after a collision
At CPY Law, our attorneys work with experts who’ve examined numerous motor vehicle wrecks throughout Kansas City. Our lawyers will consult with accident reconstruction experts and other specialists to build a strong head-on crash claim.
Can defective auto parts contribute to head-on car wrecks?
Yes, defective auto parts can contribute to front-end collisions. Malfunctioning brakes, steering systems, accelerators, and other vehicle components can all fail in different ways, which could contribute to head-on crash.
In these kinds of front-end car wrecks, our team can file a product liability claim against an automaker or a parts company for dangerous flaws in design or manufacturing that contributed to a crash.
