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Truck Accidents in Kansas City

You are not the only one who gets a bit nervous when driving around large trucks and tractor-trailers on the roadway. It’s natural to think this way, even though most of these vehicles are safe. However, we know that truck crashes happen, and you need to know where to turn if a big rig truck accident occurs and you sustain serious injuries.

At Townsend Law, LLC, our law firm will be by your side when you need a Kansas City truck accident attorney. We know how complicated these personal injury cases can be for you and your loved ones. Still, we will work with all parties to secure the maximum compensation you deserve in your injury case.

Call our Kansas City truck accident lawyers today for a free consultation from our legal team. Your free case evaluation from our law office can provide legal advice on proceeding with your injury claim, fighting to get you the maximum compensation for your truck accident injury.

The Statistics

When we talk about truck crashes, semi-truck accidents, and commercial truck accidents, we want you to understand that there are various trucks and tractor-trailer types to consider:

  • 18-wheelers or big rig

  • Dump trucks

  • Garbage trucks

  • Construction haulers

  • Delivery vehicles

  • And more

Anything larger than a typical pickup truck can cause extreme damage in the event of a crash. It is not uncommon for us to see the following catastrophic injuries in the aftermath of a truck or auto accident:

Each of these severe injuries requires immediate medical care, some of which will require extensive and long-term care. In the worst-case scenario, a truck crash victim can be permanently disabled or be the victim of wrongful death from catastrophic injuries.

For the latest reporting year in Missouri, we know that there were thousands of injuries due to large truck accidents. Some of these were due to those in the trucking industry not following the federal regulations designed to create a safer driving environment and truckers not giving other motorists in smaller vehicles the respect they deserve while sharing the road.

How These Incidents Happen

The most common causes of truck accidents are vehicle system failures or driver negligence.

Vehicle failure is one of the most common causes of truck accidents and serious injuries involving big rigs and tractor-trailers. The trucking industry across the United States works hard to keep their vehicles safe for truckers and motorists. Truck companies and owners have a major responsibility to everyone on the roadway to drive safely and avoid vehicle accidents. They must regularly inspect and maintain each vehicle to ensure they are safe each time they go out and must adhere to federal regulations to mitigate the number of semi-truck accidents. We commonly see crashes as a result of one of the following systems failing:

  • Brakes

  • Steering

  • Tires/wheels

  • Lighting

  • Connective equipment

  • Powertrain

One of the other most common causes of truck accidents is driver negligence.

Truck drivers go through schooling to receive and maintain their commercial driver’s licenses. This includes logging their service hours, mileage, motor vehicle operation, and more.

Avoiding injury or property damage is a given for any motor vehicle driver. Due to the large size of 18-wheelers and the risk of catastrophic injury increase exponentially, truck drivers should never:

  • Drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol

  • Driver while distracted by phones, other devices, or people (distracted driving has led to some of the most catastrophic injuries in driver negligence cases, due to going into on-coming traffic and head-on collisions)

  • Speed or operate recklessly

  • Exceed hours of service which can lead to driver fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel

Truck drivers must follow all state and federal laws and regulations regarding the safe operation of large trucks. This includes never carrying more weight than legally allowed and ensuring they never drive over the number of hours allowed in a 24-hour period.

After a Truck Crash

Getting into a crash with a large commercial truck is a terrifying experience and can leave you wondering where to turn if you have sustained injuries. At Townsend Law, LLC, we want you to know that we will be by your side every step of the way. The medical treatments truck accident victims often require are long-term medical care with enormous medical expenses, as well as the frustration of dealing with insurance companies after the car accident.

Our law firm has years of experience working with insurance companies, fighting for the correct medical treatment, and ensuring the accident victims in the truck accident case get the maximum compensation they deserve for the pain and suffering caused by this serious injury. We can provide legal advice on how to proceed with your personal injury case and offer a free consultation to make it simple to get started.

Our Kansas City, Missouri, area law firm has the know-how and years of experience in fighting for injury accident victims and their loved ones and supporting them with a close attorney-client relationship during their accident claim.

We will work tirelessly to investigate the incident and work to ensure you are compensated for all of your crash-related expenses, including:

  • Coverage of your medical bills

  • Compensation for lost income if you cannot work

  • Pain and suffering damages

  • Loss of enjoyment of life damages

  • Possible punitive damages against the driver or company

Kansas City Truck Accident FAQ

Large commercial trucks can lead to serious accidents and cause severe injuries. If you or someone you care about has been in a truck crash that was caused by the negligence of a truck driver or company, the team at Townsend Law, LLC is ready to help. We will investigate what happened so we can secure the compensation you are entitled to. Call us when you need a Kansas City truck accident attorney.

How Often Do Large Truck Accidents Occur?

When we turn to the data provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), we can see that there were approximately 148,000 people injured and 4,761 people killed due to large truck accidents during the latest reporting year.

In Missouri, there was a total of 13,685 commercial vehicle crashes (not all large trucks) for that same reporting year. Out of those, there were:

  • 122 fatalities

  • 4,047 injuries

Why Are Injuries From Truck Accidents So Severe?

The FMCSA says that a fully-loaded commercial truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. When compared to the average passenger vehicle that weighs only 4,000 pounds, you can see why these crashes can be so dangerous for vehicle passengers. It is not uncommon for the Kansas City truck accident lawyers at Townsend Law, LLC to see the following serious injuries:

These truck accident injuries often lead to extensive medical care for victims. In many cases, truck accident victims cannot work while they recover from their injuries. Victims and their families can face major medical expenses and an inability to pay for household expenses, which is another reason to seek assistance from a Kansas City truck accident lawyer with the experience and know-how to fight for the maximum compensation possible.

Who Is At Fault In A Truck Accident?

Determining liability in a truck accident can be complicated. In many cases, the truck driver is at fault. This can happen if the driver was:

  • Distracted

  • Impaired

  • Fatigued

  • Failing to obey traffic laws

These crashes can also happen when the trucking company fails to regularly inspect and maintain their vehicles, making it difficult for truckers to keep themselves and other motorists safe. When any one of the following systems fails on a big rig while the vehicle is moving, serious truck crashes can occur:

  • Steering

  • Brakes

  • Tires/wheels

  • Lighting

  • Suspension

  • Powertrain

  • And more

Truck manufacturers and part manufacturers can also be held accountable if they provided defective products to truck companies. Legal representation can lessen the burden of determining how the injury claim should be filed. The personal injury lawyers at Townsend Law, LLC have extensive experience in handling these cases.

What Kind Of Compensation Is Available For A Truck Accident?

If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident that was caused by the negligence of a truck driver or company, you may be entitled to significant compensation. The team at Townsend Law, LLC will work to procure the maximum fair compensation possible for both economic and non-economic damages, including:

  • All of your medical expenses

  • Lost income if you cannot work

  • Pain and suffering damages

  • Loss of enjoyment of life damages

  • Possible punitive damages against the truck driver or company

Our Kansas City law firm can provide legal advice on how best to proceed with your truck accident claim. Our personal injury attorneys will fight for you and hold the negligent parties responsible.

When you need a Kansas City truck accident attorney, please contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us.

Personal Injury