If you’ve been injured in a collision with a semi-truck in Kansas, your priority will be rebuilding your life as fully and quickly as possible. You can do this by working with an experienced truck accident attorney at Bretz Injury Law.
The attorneys at Bretz Injury Law are dedicated to helping clients seek the fairest financial recovery possible. We have seen for ourselves the life-long impact semi-truck accidents in Kansas can have on occupants of passenger cars, and we’ve witnessed how fair recovery can help these survivors pay for quality medical care, car repairs, therapy, rehabilitation, and other services victims need to get back on their feet.
Have you been injured in a semi-truck accident anywhere in Kansas? Don’t hesitate to contact Bretz Injury Law for a free consultation to discuss ways to maximize financial recovery for your injuries.
How to Maximize Recovery After Your Semi-Truck Accident in Kansas
Kansas is a no-fault state, meaning you don’t have to establish who caused your accident to collect your carrier’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. What many victims of semi-truck accidents in Kansas come to realize, though, is that PIP does not cover all their medical costs, car repairs, and other losses.
There are options, fortunately. Kansas allows you to seek further financial recovery if you have been in a serious crash. If you decide to seek a lawsuit against liable parties to get a fair recovery, you will need to prove that other parties were at fault, and you will need to establish a strong claim for your losses.
Proving fault in a semi-truck accident in Kansas starts as soon as you’re in a crash. If you find yourself in this situation, here is what you will want to do as quickly as possible:
1. Collect Evidence at the Scene
At the accident scene, gather as much evidence as possible. Use your phone to take pictures of your car, the truck, the surrounding area, and any car damage or injuries you’ve suffered. If possible, get the contact information of any witnesses and write down anything you can remember about what happened just before the crash.
There are many reasons for semi-truck accidents in Kansas. The truck driver may have been speeding, driving under the influence, or violating Hours of Service rules, limiting how long truck drivers can stay on the road before they need to rest.
The more evidence you gather, the more you help your attorney investigate the cause of your crash and prove your claim.
2. Document Medical Treatment
Semi-truck accidents in Kansas often result in serious injuries, such as head injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractures, and whiplash. These can leave you in pain, unable to work for weeks or months, and struggling with medical bills.
It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after any truck accident. Even if you think you haven’t been seriously injured, you may have been.
For example, it’s not uncommon for someone to walk away from a traffic accident feeling fine, only to have symptoms appear over the next few days or weeks. If symptoms such as headaches, nausea, or neck and back pain appear, signaling a traumatic brain injury or whiplash, you need to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Did you know that about 190 Americans die every day due to traumatic brain injuries? In some cases, these lives may have been saved with prompt treatment, so never hesitate to seek medical attention after a semi-truck accident.
Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries can also be slow to show symptoms. The sooner you get medical attention, the sooner you can start healing.
In addition, getting medical attention helps you start documenting your injuries. Reports from the emergency room and your doctor can establish when you were injured, how you were injured, and how serious the situation is. Get a copy of your medical reports if you can. They can help you show that your injuries were caused by your semi-truck accident.
3. Investigate the Trucking Company
Truck carriers are subject to many federal and state rules that regulate the training of their drivers, the transportation of hazardous material, the weight and loading of trucks, and much more.
Unfortunately, truck companies also have a financial incentive to sometimes ignore the rules, especially now when the industry faces additional challenges due to a truck driver shortage and more pressure on the supply chain.
If you’re in a collision with a semi-truck, how can you know whether the truck company hired under-qualified drivers, set unreasonable deadlines for drivers, overloaded trucks, failed to properly maintain their fleet, or otherwise acted negligently?
One way to get the facts is by working with an experienced truck collision attorney, like the team at Bretz Injury Law. Our team can work with expert witnesses, accident reconstruction professionals, private investigators, and other professionals to find out exactly what happened. We can seek to subpoena truck accident records, gather testimony, and more.
Semi-trucks have “black boxes” that record information about a truck, including speed of travel and other details. This can contain invaluable information about what a driver did in the minutes before a crash. When you work with an attorney, they will work to subpoena this black box information.
The legal team at Bretz Injury Law also investigates the history of the truck company in your accident. If the company has a history of safety violations or crashes, this can establish a pattern of negligence and can help us work to maximize your recovery.
4. Consult an Experienced Attorney
An experienced Kansas truck accident attorney can do more than investigate the cause of your crash. An attorney can also:
- Determine whether you have a claim
- Negotiate with insurance companies and other parties on your behalf
- Review your insurance policy and explain what is and isn’t covered
- Help you understand how much your injuries and losses could cost
- Pursue fair compensation on your behalf
- Take care of all the details of filing a claim and even going to court to pursue recovery for you
- Advise you about your options if you receive a settlement offer
Above all, your attorney is dedicated to making sure you don’t leave money on the table or accept a low offer because you feel you have to. Instead, your attorney explains your options so you can make the right choice and pursue fair compensation for your injuries.
5. File a Claim before the Statute of Limitations Runs Out
In Kansas, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Delaying beyond two years means you will not be able to pursue recovery, but there are many reasons to file a claim as soon as possible:
- Filing promptly shows your injuries are serious enough to pursue recovery without hesitation
- You may have access to more evidence, such as the truck’s black box and surveillance records, if you file soon and your attorney can act to preserve this evidence
- Witness memories may be fresher if you file quickly
How Bretz Injury Law Can Help
Choosing the right personal injury attorney for your semi-truck accident case in Kansas doesn’t have to be complicated. Look for an attorney who is dedicated to your recovery and someone with extensive experience seeking financial recovery for truck accident victims and their families.
Bretz Injury Law believes compassionate and respectful assistance should be available if you’re ever injured. Not only have we recovered over $300 million in verdicts and court wins, but we also take the time to listen and create a strategic plan to seek fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and to protect you and your family’s future.
Since 1991 we’ve won over 98% of the cases we’ve pursued, and we’re always willing to go to court if that’s what it takes to get you the recovery you need. In fact, other law firms send us their cases when the going gets tough. Bretz Injury Law also works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay us until we win for you.
We’re proud to serve communities across Kansas from our offices in Hutchinson, Wichita, Salina, Hays, Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal, Kansas City, Olathe, and Topeka. We don’t just serve clients in these areas, either. We take an active part in giving back through charitable work and in our communities. Bretz Injury Law is who you need when you’re in need. If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck accident in Kansas, contact us for a free consultation.
