Crashes with semi-trucks and delivery vehicles can cause serious injuries. Given the size and weight of a heavy commercial truck or a fully loaded big rig, there’s also a significant risk of a fatal crash, particularly when there’s a jackknife, underride, high-speed, or multi-vehicle incident.
The Kansas City auto collision attorneys at CPY Law know how devastating an 18-wheeler wreck can be. An “accident” with a large truck is rarely an accident. The truck driver, the trucking company, or another party is often at fault. Our law firm can hold these parties accountable for causing a crash and seek maximum compensation for you.
If you were hit by a tractor-trailer or a dump truck, let us handle the fight while you focus on healing. For a free, no-obligation consultation with our large truck lawyers in Kansas City, MO, contact our law firm today.
Where Trucking Collisions Happen in the Kansas City Area
Here are some roadways in and around Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass counties with a higher risk of big rig and commercial trucking crashes.
- Interstate 70: Plenty of commercial trucks take I-70 to head east and west through Kansas City, which can put commuter vehicles at risk.
- Interstate 435: Many tractor-trailers and delivery trucks rely on this Kansas City beltway to get around, which means a potential hazard to commuter vehicles.
- Interstate 35/Interstate 29: Whenever large trucks are heading into or out of downtown, there’s a higher risk of collisions along I-35 and I-29.
- U.S. Route 71: High speeds and traffic along Route 71 can increase the risk of a semi-truck or delivery truck crash. These dangers only become more pronounced around the Grandview Triangle.
Common Causes of Trucking Crashes in Kansas City
Below are some of the most common causes of 18-wheeler and delivery truck crashes in KCMO.
Blind Spots Around the Truck
Tractor-trailers, dump trucks, and delivery vehicles all have major no-zones on all sides. Truck drivers need to take extra care checking their mirrors and being aware of any nearby vehicles. The risk of crashes is also high when making wide turns, especially on city streets.
Braking Distances/Stopping Times
A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 40 tons; dump trucks can weigh up to 30 tons. These massive, heavy trucks require longer stopping distances and more stopping time. The risk of catastrophic rear-end collisions or jackknife crashes can be high with large trucks.
Truck Driver Fatigue
Even though there are federal hours of service regulations for truckers, many drivers are drowsy or tired while behind the wheel. This increases the risk of distraction, inattention, and slower reaction times that could contribute to a major collision or a near-miss.
Truck Driver Distraction
Truck drivers have many sources of distraction that may cause them to divert attention away from the road or take their hands off the steering wheel. Examples include texting while driving, looking up directions, eating while driving, and rubbernecking.
Reckless or Aggressive Driving
Truckers who refuse to yield the right of way, tailgate smaller vehicles, make frequent lane changes, or antagonize commuters increase the risk of serious collisions. Aggressive driving in particular could force other drivers off the road to avoid a potential underride crash.
Poorly Loaded Cargo
When cargo is not properly secured, there’s a risk of the cargo coming loose. This could result in other vehicles being struck by the cargo, or the cargo winding up on the road and creating major hazards. In addition, poor weight distribution of the cargo could contribute to a rollover or a jackknife incident.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Big Rig Wreck?
These parties could be held liable for a trucking crash in the Kansas City area. Our semi-truck and commercial vehicle injury lawyers can investigate the crash and ensure the proper party is held accountable.
- The Truck Driver: The person driving an 18-wheeler, delivery vehicle, or dump truck may have been reckless, distracted, or negligent while they were behind the wheel.
- The Trucking Company: Trucking companies may have failed to screen truck drivers for red flags during the hiring process, or may have policies in place that increase the risk of a crash.
- Cargo Loaders: Poorly loaded cargo can increase the chances of rollovers, jackknife incidents, or cargo coming loose and dangerous debris winding up on the road.
- Mechanics and Repair Crews: Poor maintenance and repairs to a large truck can increase the chances of all kinds of preventable collisions.
- Automakers and Parts Manufacturers: Defective semi-trucks or faulty parts for heavy trucks can make these large vehicles unsafe to operate and increase the chances of a crash.
- Local Road Authorities: Poor road design or a failure to repair known roadway hazards could contribute to serious trucking collisions.
Multiple Parties Can Be Held Liable in an 18-Wheeler Crash
Trucking accident cases can be extremely complicated as multiple parties could be liable. These complexities increase when a big rig crash results in a multi-vehicle collision.
The team at CPY Law will carefully investigate how and why the crash happened so all negligent parties can be identified and held accountable.
Compensation in a Large Truck Crash Claim
Crash survivors can seek compensation for any losses caused by a large truck or commercial vehicle collision. This includes economic damages (measurable financial losses) and non-economic damages (subjective and intangible losses).
- Medical Expenses and Future Care: This includes any hospitalization and stabilizing procedures, life-saving surgical treatment, visits with specialists, physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and long-term treatment.
- Vehicle and Property Damage: This includes the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle after the collision, car rentals or rideshares for temporary transportation, damage to electronic devices, and the loss of any personal belongings due to the crash.
- Lost Wages and Future Earnings: This includes any extended leave from your job to recover from your injuries as well as any loss of future earning capacity due to a catastrophic injury that causes long-term or permanent disability.
- Pain and Suffering: This includes emotional distress, mental anguish, chronic pain from lingering injuries, and ongoing sleep disturbances following a crash with a large truck.
- Lower Quality of Life: This includes a reduced sense of contentment or well-being, loss of enjoyment in your favorite hobbies, and any strain on your relationships after the tractor-trailer crash.
Damages for Fatal Trucking Wrecks
If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal trucking crash, you have our deepest sympathies.
When you are ready to share what happened, our trucking collision lawyers can help you file a wrongful death claim. Damages in a fatal big rig crash claim can help cover funeral expenses, grief counseling, and the pain of losing a loved one and their companionship.
How Shared Fault in a Truck Collision Affects Compensation in Missouri
The state of Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule (RSMo § 537.765). This means you can still seek compensation if you are partly or mostly at fault in an 18-wheeler crash. Your compensation is reduced by your share of liability.
For example, say that you were hurt in a tractor-trailer collision on I-70 and receive $100,000 in compensation. However, you were found 15% liable for the crash. Because of pure comparative fault, you’d still receive $85,000 in compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Semi-Truck Wreck Lawsuit in Kansas City, MO?
The statute of limitations for 18-wheeler and delivery truck crashes in Missouri can vary based on what happened.
- For injury crashes, you typically have five years from the date of the truck collision to file a personal injury lawsuit (RSMo § 516.120)
- For fatal wrecks, you typically have three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit (RSMo § 537.100)
Remember that there are exceptions to these statutes of limitations. If the heavy truck crash involved a government entity, for example, you need to file a formal notice of claim within 90 days of the collision.
While you may have a few years to file a lawsuit, it’s best to contact our Kansas City commercial trucking injury lawyers as soon as possible. The team at CPY Law can secure crucial evidence, build a strong case, and communicate with the insurance company on your behalf to help ensure maximum compensation.
Why Choose CPY Law for Your Trucking Injury Claim
If you’ve been seriously hurt because of a negligent trucker, trucking company, or another party that contributed to a serious crash, our Kansas City heavy truck injury attorneys are ready to help. We want you to focus on healing while we lead the fight forward.
Here’s why people throughout Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass counties trust the lawyers at CPY Law.
- Reliability and Legal Excellence: We know that many truck crash clients come to us experiencing a major injury or disruption to their daily life. Our goal is to provide straightforward counsel, clear communication, and thoughtful legal representation throughout the process.
- We Hold Ourselves and Others Accountable: CPY Law seeks accountability from others. We also demand the same of ourselves. When you hire us after a heavy truck 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 big rig crash attorney. Consultations are free, confidential, and no obligation. Our lawyers just want to hear what happened and give you our honest assessment about your case.
- Clients Pay Nothing Unless We Win: You owe us nothing unless and until we win. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means we only get paid after your semi-truck collision case is successfully resolved. If we don’t win, you pay nothing.
Contact Our Kansas City Trucking Wreck Attorneys Near You
If you were hit by an 18-wheeler, got run off the road by a reckless delivery truck, or lost a loved one in a fatal crash with a semi-truck, our attorneys are here to help. Let us lead the fight forward. For a free consultation with a heavy commercial truck accident lawyer in Kansas City, contact CPY Law today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Truck Wrecks in Kansas City
Below are some of the most common questions we’ve heard from clients who’ve been in collisions with tractor-trailers, delivery trucks, and commercial vehicles in the Kansas City area.
Can I still file a lawsuit if a large truck did not make contact but ran me off the road?
Potentially yes. These near-miss or miss-and-run incidents can result in major injuries when drivers swerve to avoid a serious collision. Many times these trucking crashes involve lane or roadway departures. The causes may include driver fatigue, distracted driving, reckless driving, or vehicle or part defects.
It’s important to speak with a trucking crash attorney as soon as possible after these incidents. Finding and securing the right evidence will be essential in these kinds of no-contact collision cases.
Is a delivery company responsible when a truck driver causes a crash to meet a tight deadline?
Possibly, especially if the trucking company has set unrealistic delivery deadlines that their drivers struggle to meet. If the delivery truck driver is an independent contractor rather than an employee of the company, this can complicate matters.
A Kansas City trucking collision attorney can review the evidence of the case, the stress the delivery driver may have been under, and other factors to ensure the right parties are held accountable.
What should I do if I was hit by an 18-wheeler in the state of Kansas?
If you’re in a collision with a big rig across state lines in Kansas, you should call 911, document the crash site with photos and videos, get insurance information from the truck driver, get the contact information from any witnesses, and seek immediate medical attention even if you feel fine.
After you’ve been checked by a doctor, be sure to speak with a trucking crash lawyer as soon as possible. Kansas laws differ from Missouri’s, and an attorney can help you navigate the claim process unique to your collision.
How much does it cost to hire a truck accident lawyer in Kansas City, MO?
The cost of a truck accident attorney in Kansas City can vary from firm to firm and from case to case. Key factors that affect the cost of legal representation include the severity of the trucking crash, the extent of any injuries suffered, the long-term impact of those injuries, the complexity of your case, and a firm’s individual fee structures.
At CPY Law, you do not pay anything upfront. Initial consultations with our Kansas City trucking injury lawyers are free. Our law firm also operates on a contingency fee basis. That means you only pay if we can secure a settlement or favorable verdict for you.
If we secure a monetary award, our fee is a percentage of the compensation obtained. This is one of many ways that we hold ourselves accountable to our clients.
How do attorneys prove that a truck driver was distracted behind the wheel?
This can vary based on the truck crash, but lawyers will often investigate any cell phone records, dashcam or CCTV footage, the truck’s electronic data, dispatch messages, and statements from any drivers affected by the crash. Witness testimony can also be helpful in establishing distraction behind the wheel.
