In 2021, a shocking 117,300 trucks were involved in crashes that resulted in injuries. The large majority of these injuries occurred to occupants of other, smaller vehicles.
If you were involved in an accident with a semi-truck, it’s crucial to seek the expertise of a truck accident attorney. In Kansas City traffic, car accidents happen regularly, but trucking accidents are not routine for most attorneys. Only experienced truck accident lawyers will know how to overcome the challenges of these cases.
Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader is Kansas City’s trusted name for truck accident lawyers. Our attorneys deliver the answers, accountability, and justice for victims and families after trucking accidents. If you think you might have a case, use our free virtual case tool for guidance from our experts.
If you want to speak with a qualified truck accident attorney in Kansas City right now, call Bartimus Frickleton Roberston Rader (BFRR) at (913) 266-2300 or contact us online.
Keep reading to learn the complexities of trucking accidents and why they require specialized legal representation.
The Complexities of Trucking Accidents
Generally speaking, cars are relatively similar in size and weight. When collisions occur between cars, this allows for some level of protection. However, when a collision occurs between a car and a semi-truck (which are often 20 to 30 times heavier,) the outcomes are very different.
With more serious collisions come more complex cases. A truck accident lawsuit in Kansas City often involves:
More Serious Injuries
Due to the sheer size and weight of semi-trucks, the injuries we see from these accidents can be life altering and require long-term medical care. Additionally, many trucking accidents occur on the highway at high speeds. As a result, trucking collisions can lead to a range of serious injuries, including:
Head Injuries
Head injuries can lead to permanent disability and even death. If you sustained a head injury after a motor vehicle accident, it’s crucial to seek proper medical evaluation and care. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to the recovery process.
Some of the most common types of head injuries we see from trucking accidents include:
Concussions
Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury that results from a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. These sudden and forceful movements can cause the brain to twist or crash into the side of the skull, causing tissue damage to the brain or strain on the neurons, blood vessels, and nerves in your head.
Several factors in a trucking accident can contribute to the occurrence of concussions, including:
- Sudden changes in motion caused by abrupt stops or acceleration
- Direct trauma to the head from striking against the steering wheel, windshield, dashboard, or other hard surface
- Whiplash injury
- Force to the head or neck
Related: The Lasting Fallout of Concussions
Brain Contusions
A cerebral contusion is a bruise to the brain. This injury results from direct trauma to the head, often as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Contusions are serious injuries that can cause permanent damage to the tissues of the brain.
Brain contusions can occur from a trucking accident when:
- The head strikes against a hard surface
- A high-speed collision causes the brain to hit the skull
- The vehicle rolls over and causes the brain to move forcefully against the skull
- Airbag deployment that causes your body to stop, but your brain hits the front of your skull
Skull Fractures
If the head collides against a hard object with an excessive amount of force, it can cause the skull to break. The primary danger associated with skull fractures isn’t the broken bone itself, but the damage it can cause to the brain.
Skull fractures can lead to bone fragments puncturing brain tissue, compression, bleeding within the brain, brain swelling, contusions, nerve damage, and more. The symptoms and damage caused by a skull fracture will vary greatly depending on the type and location of the fracture.
Spinal Injuries
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, vehicle crashes have been the leading cause of spinal cord injury since 2015.
Any injury to the spinal cord, bones, discs, ligaments, or nerves of the spine can result in serious complications. Common spinal injuries that require a truck accident attorney in Kansas City include:
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are those that cause direct damage to the spinal cord. Because the spinal cord is responsible for communicating between the brain and the rest of the body, injuries to the spinal cord can result in paralysis, numbness, loss of feeling, loss of control, and other medical complications.
Whiplash
Whiplash occurs when the muscles and ligaments that support the neck overextend. This type of injury is common after rear-end collisions due to the sudden force and movement of the head and neck.
Severe whiplash can fracture vertebrae and cause permanent nerve damage, leading to chronic pain and disability.
Spinal Fractures
The impact from a trucking accident can cause the bones of your spine, known as your vertebrae, to break. Depending on the type of fracture and location of the injury, it can cause long-term damage related to:
- Chronic pain
- Impaired mobility
- Loss of function
- Neurological deficits
- Other medical complications
Amputations
In the case of severe injury after a trucking accident, amputation may be necessary. This type of amputation often involves the loss of a hand, foot, arm, or leg. Although rare, traumatic amputation may be necessary for individuals with irreversible injuries, including:
- Severe tissue damage that cannot be repaired
- Crushing injuries that shatter bones
- Severe fractures where the bone breaks through the skin
- Infection that cannot be controlled
Broken Bones
Broken bones often happen as a result of motor vehicle accidents. With over 200 bones in our bodies, it’s not surprising that a forceful collision would cause one or more of these bones to break. Some of the most common broken bone injuries that occur during motor vehicle collisions include:
- Arm fractures
- Hand and wrist fractures
- Rib fractures
- Clavicle fractures
- Hip fractures
- Facial fractures
- Sternum fractures
Internal Bleeding
Not all injuries are immediately visible after an accident. The force of a collision can cause bleeding to happen within your body (instead of out through an open wound). When heavy internal bleeding occurs (usually in the abdomen, chest, or head), it can be fatal if not addressed promptly.
Internal bleeding can result from:
- High-impact collisions that cause your organs to collide into one another or against the bones of your skeletal system
- Fragments of broken bones that puncture or damage organs
- Blood vessels tearing from the forces of the accident
The risk of internal bleeding is one of the major reasons you should always be evaluated by a medical professional after an accident—even if you don’t immediately feel injured.
Psychological Trauma
A trucking accident can cause more than physical harm. The psychological trauma of experiencing an accident (as a victim or a witness) can severely impact a person’s life and ability to function. Psychological distress after a motor vehicle accident can include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and fear
- Mood swings
- Nightmares and sleeping problems
- Depression
- Isolation
Death
In the most tragic cases, truck accidents can result in the loss of life. Due to the size and weight of commercial trucks, injuries that result from these accidents frequently have fatal consequences.
A More Vigorous Defense
A catastrophic trucking accident can have millions of dollars on the line. When this amount of money is at stake, insurance companies will come out with a more vigorous defense in an effort to pay the least amount possible.
This is where an experienced truck accident attorney becomes critical. Insurance companies will take advantage of inexperienced attorneys by denying claims, shifting the blame, or valuing damages for less than they are worth.
More Individuals/Entities to Hold Liable
In a collision between cars, the responsible party is often straightforward. However, this is rarely the case for accidents that involve semi-trucks. Liable parties can include:
- The truck driver
- The company that hired the driver
- The company that commissioned the trip
- The company that owns the truck and/or box
- The company that owns the cargo
- The manufacturer of the truck or the truck’s components (brakes, tires, engine, etc.)
- The municipality responsible for the road conditions
Oftentimes, multiple parties share a degree of responsibility for a truck accident. A qualified attorney will determine the extent and involvement of all parties.
Experts Hired on Both Sides
Because there is more at stake, more people are usually involved in these cases. A qualified truck accident attorney in Kansas City will hire experts to prove your case and overcome the defenses advanced by the other side.
These experts can include a range of professionals, including:
- Neurologists
- Neuropsychologists
- Accident reconstructionists
- Orthopedic surgeons
- Neurosurgeons
- Economists
- Pathologists
- Life care planners
- Biomechanical engineers
- Human factors experts
- Trucking experts
- Safety experts
The defense will also hire experts to support their side. If you don’t have a qualified team of experts on your side, your case may be jeopardized.
Causes of Truck Accidents
Companies are required to follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s regulations for truck safety. Unfortunately, sometimes trucking companies do a poor job of implementing and enforcing these standards, leading to accidents that result from:
- Driver fatigue
- Improper hiring of drivers
- Improper training or supervision of drivers
- Improper trailer maintenance
- Unsafe driving conditions
- Improper safety policies
- Driving with freight that is overweight
- Unsecured cargo
- Equipment failure
- Speeding or traffic law violations
A truck accident attorney in Kansas City will sort out the causes of the accident and determine which parties are at fault.
What You Can Recover in Truck Accident Cases
The law allows you to recover economic and non-economic damages after a truck accident.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are out-of-pocket expenses you incurred (or will incur in the future) as a result of the accident. These can include:
- Medical expenses (hospitalization, surgery, medications, rehabilitation, appointments, etc.)
- Lost wages (if the injured party is unable to work)
- Lost earning capacity (when injuries result in long-term or permanent disability)
- Property damage (the vehicle itself, belongings that were lost or destroyed as a result of the accident, etc.)
- Funeral costs
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages don’t come with a clear price tag. These can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Trauma or psychological distress
- Mental anguish
- Dismemberment
- Disfigurement
- Decline in quality of life
Truck accident cases often require significant payouts from insurance companies. In order to avoid this, insurance companies tend to value damages for less than they are worth. This is particularly true for non-economic damages because there is not a clear cost associated with them.
A qualified truck accident attorney will use their experience from past litigations to determine fair value for non-economic damages. Attorneys without experience in this area will not know how to properly value the psychological damages and lifestyle changes that could impact you for the rest of your life.
What to Do After a Trucking Accident
If you were involved in a trucking accident, it’s important to take the following steps:
1. Immediately Call 911
It’s essential to call 911 to request immediate medical assistance and report the accident. Even if you and your passengers don’t look or feel injured, it’s important to remember that not every injury is immediately apparent. For example, internal injuries (such as brain injuries and internal bleeding) can have serious consequences if left untreated.
2. Remove Yourself From Danger and Get to Safety
If your car is in drivable condition and it is safe to do so, move your vehicle to the side of the road. This can reduce the risk of further accidents and traffic disruptions. Once your vehicle is on the side of the road, turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers of the accident. If it appears safe, exit your vehicle and maintain a safe distance from the road.
3. Wait for Help to Arrive
As you wait for help to arrive, if it is safe to do so, exchange information with all parties involved (including individuals who witnessed the accident). Collecting names, contact information, license plate numbers, and insurance information will be essential to initiate a timely insurance claim.
4. Document the Scene
If possible, document the accident scene with photos or videos. This evidence can be used for insurance claims and legal proceedings if necessary. Take multiple images from different angles that include:
- Vehicle damage
- Visible injuries
- Road conditions
- Positioning of the vehicles
- License plates
- Skid marks on the road
5. Work With the Police and Medical Team
When help arrives at the scene, work with the police and medical team to answer questions about the accident. This will help them accurately document the event and provide appropriate medical care.
Be prepared to answer questions about the sequences of events that led to the accident, any injuries you or others have sustained, and any other observations you made related to the incident.
6. Contact a Truck Accident Attorney in Kansas City
One of the most important steps to take after an accident is to contact a truck accident attorney in Kansas City to discuss your case. A qualified lawyer will help you navigate the legal process, take care of issues with your insurance company, and ensure that you receive fair compensation for your claim.
If the other driver’s insurance company contacts you, do not accept any settlements without legal advice. Insurance companies often propose initial settlements that do not fully cover your damages and losses.
Why You Need a Truck Accident Attorney
A truck accident attorney will protect your rights and ensure that you receive fair compensation for damages. Truck accident attorneys will sort out what happened and why through:
- Obtaining all documented evidence (police reports, crash reports, first responder reports, ambulance and medical records, post-crash driver evaluations)
- Collecting video, photographs, and other recorded evidence
- A full accident reconstruction
- Working with relevant experts
It’s important to act timely after a truck accident. As time passes, crucial evidence, along with memories, can fade. Contacting a truck accident attorney in Kansas City can help preserve evidence and keep it from getting lost, damaged, or destroyed.
What to Look For in a Truck Accident Attorney
Hiring an attorney isn’t always easy. You need a qualified lawyer to support you through the legal process and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Experience Matters
Trucking accident cases involve complex litigation, and attorneys need technical knowledge of these cases. Even if a case seems straightforward, it will require a team of experts to prove your case.
The larger the damages, the more the insurance company will fight. An experienced truck accident attorney in Kansas City will know the tactics insurance companies use as an attempt to pay less than a fair value. A qualified attorney will know how to navigate and overcome these challenges.
The Drive to Do It Right
Not only do you need an experienced attorney, but you need someone with the drive to perform the right investigation. Some attorneys, particularly those without experience in this area, may stop short of turning over every rock.
At BFRR, our attorneys are dedicated to investigating cases the right way—by answering every question and methodically working through each case. We work with victims and families going through some of life’s most challenging times, and we are here to do whatever possible to make the process easier for you and your family.
A History of Success
You need an attorney with a proven track record of successfully handling personal injury claims. The complexities and challenges of truck accident cases require a legal team that knows the intricacies of these cases.
For more than 40 years, the attorneys at BFRR have successfully represented some of the region’s most high-profile and high-stakes cases. Although we are centrally located, we have a national impact.
Read what clients are saying about BFRR:
“I was injured seriously in a car crash a little more than two years ago. Attorney Mike Meyer, and his team, Bartimus went to work for me and secured me a very fair settlement. Incredibly professional, prompt and engaged. I consider Mike my family’s attorney now.” -Steve B.
“Mike Meyer is a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer that brings a level of compassion that is rarely seen in this profession. He understands the complexities of catastrophic injury cases and fights, both at work and in his spare time, for the rights of severely injured pediatric and adult patients.” -Matt J.
Contact Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader When You Need a Truck Accident Attorney in Kansas City
The lawyers at Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader understand that your case is your only case. When we represent a client or a family after a trucking accident, we devote the time, resources, and experience for the best possible result.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury after a trucking accident, contact our personal injury lawyers today for a consultation at no cost.
The above is not intended to be legal advice. Each individual case is different and must be analyzed on its own set of facts and circumstances. If you believe you may have a case, it is critically important that you timely contact a lawyer to ensure your rights are protected.
