Kansas City Car Accident Attorneys Near You
A car accident can be much more than a minor inconvenience in a parking lot. When a crash in Kansas City leaves someone seriously hurt, the impact on their life can be devastating. If the accident was preventable and only happened because another driver acted carelessly or recklessly, or because of a defective car part or poorly maintained road, you should not be left holding the bill. Those bills and losses are your “damages” in a Missouri car accident claim and typically include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
A Kansas City car accident lawyer from Bretz Injury Law is prepared to handle the legal side of your case so you can focus on healing and getting back to your family. Reach out to the personal injury attorneys at Bretz Injury Law today and we will get to work on your claim right away.
Why Choose Bretz Injury Law after a Kansas City Car Crash
The attorneys at Bretz Injury Law have a proven record of success handling car accident claims across Kansas City. We’ve built a strong reputation and developed deep resources in the area, including access to trusted accident reconstruction experts and medical specialists who help put together a compelling case. That record spans decades of meaningful recoveries for seriously injured clients throughout Kansas and Missouri.
By choosing Bretz Injury Law, you’ll benefit from legal advantages such as:
- Founding attorney Matthew Bretz, who brings over 30 years of experience and a background on both sides of the courtroom, giving him a clear picture of how insurers approach and defend against car accident claims.
- Skilled negotiators who work hard to maximize the compensation available to you through settlement, so you can resolve your case without ever going to court.
- A seasoned trial attorney fully prepared to argue your case in a courtroom if the insurer wrongfully denies your claim or puts an unacceptable offer on the table.
- A committed team of legal professionals working together on your case, alongside the personal attention of an attorney who is genuinely invested in getting you the best possible outcome.
Our Nearby Kansas City Personal Injury Law Firm
Bretz Injury Law Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyer Kansas City
748 Ann Ave suite 114
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 361-5510
Car accident claims in fault-based states like Missouri get complicated fast because of the state’s contributory negligence laws. The at-fault driver’s insurance company is not going to hand over a large payout willingly. They will work to protect their profits at your expense if you don’t have a strong legal voice behind your claim.
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What Can a Kansas City Car Accident Attorney Do for You?
Car accident claims are complicated and time-consuming. They require specialized knowledge of Kansas traffic laws and the state’s insurance system. It’s hard for someone injured in a crash to pursue a claim with the focus and drive needed to recover full compensation, especially while dealing with serious injuries or ongoing medical treatment. An experienced attorney at Bretz Injury Law will take on your car accident claim and defend your interests throughout the entire process by handling the following on your behalf:
- Investigating every aspect of the accident to identify the at-fault party and gather solid evidence of their liability
- Building a compelling case for liability and presenting it to the insurance company of the at-fault driver or another responsible party, such as a negligent road maintenance agency
- Carefully calculating your current and future damages to put the maximum possible compensation within your reach
- Negotiating with the insurance adjuster on your case to pursue the highest available settlement, while preparing for court in case a lawsuit becomes necessary
- Securing a fair settlement for your economic and non-economic losses, or filing a lawsuit within the state’s statute of limitations to bring your case before a jury
Most car accident claims are resolved without ever going to court, but the experienced litigators at Bretz Injury Law are fully prepared to argue for your compensation before a jury when the situation calls for it.
Understanding he Statute of Limitations for Kansas City Car Accident Claims
Missouri has a notably generous statute of limitations for car accident injury claims. Accident victims in Missouri have up to five years to file a lawsuit. In most cases, insurance claims to recover losses are filed shortly after the accident. But if an insurance company wrongfully denies a claim or offers less than it’s worth, the injured party must bring the case to court within that five-year window.
Common Injuries in Kansas City Accident Claims
Experts describe three separate collisions that happen in every car accident: the impact between vehicles or a vehicle and an obstacle, the secondary collision inside the car as crash forces throw the body against the seatbelt or interior surfaces, and the third collision inside the body as organs, bones, and the brain absorb a violent jolt. The severity of injuries depends on the circumstances, including the speed at impact and whether the vehicle rolls over, and can range from minor to life-changing. Common injuries seen in Kansas City car accident claims include:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Fractures
- Internal organ injuries
- Burns
- Soft tissue injuries
- Facial injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Traumatic limb loss
When injuries happen in a car accident, the days and weeks that follow can feel overwhelming. You’re managing your own recovery, possibly caring for injured family members, and facing a pile of medical bills at the same moment you can’t get back to work. A successful car accident claim pursues compensation from the insurance company of the person who caused your accident, so you can put your energy toward moving forward.
What Compensation is Available in Kansas City Car Accident Claims?
Car accident injuries produce both economic and non-economic damages. Compensation in a successful car accident claim commonly covers losses such as the following:
- Property damage
- Medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical costs related to the injury
- Loss of income
- Reduced future earning capacity due to temporary or permanent disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life, PTSD, and other non-economic damages that may apply to your situation, such as compensation for disfigurement or loss of limb
Your attorney at Bretz Injury Law will thoroughly investigate your accident, build a clear record of liability, and carefully calculate your damages to present in a strong demand package to the at-fault party’s insurer before negotiating for a fair settlement on your behalf.
What If the Insurance Company Claims I’m Partly At Fault for the Accident?
Missouri is one of a small number of states that uses a comparative negligence system for car accident and personal injury claims. Under this approach to shared fault, you can still recover a portion of your damages even if you played a role in causing the accident. The total compensation you receive is simply reduced by your assigned percentage of fault. Missouri Revised Statute 537.765 provides that any fault attributed to the plaintiff reduces their compensatory damages proportionately but does not prevent them from recovering altogether:
“The Defendant may plead and prove the fault of the plaintiff as an affirmative defense. Any fault chargeable to the plaintiff shall diminish proportionately the amount awarded as compensatory damages but shall not bar recovery.”
Under this law, you could still recover $80,000 out of a $100,000 car accident claim if you were found 20 percent at fault. Say you were driving seven miles over the speed limit when another driver blew through a stop sign and hit your car. The insurer could argue that driving at the posted limit might have allowed you to avoid the crash or walk away with less severe injuries. Insurance companies sometimes assign inflated fault percentages to injured victims simply to reduce what they pay out on a claim. Having a skilled attorney at Bretz Injury Law fighting for you throughout the process gives you the strongest chance of recovering the full amount you’re owed.
What Other Insurance Company Tactics Should I Watch Out For?
Most people understand that insurance companies are not looking out for accident victims, regardless of what their ads suggest. They employ insurance adjusters whose job is to find ways to deny claims or pay out as little as possible. Getting an attorney involved early and routing all communication with the insurer through your lawyer is always a smart move. From the very first steps of the claims process, though, it pays to know the common tactics insurance companies use against injury victims:
- Reaching out within days of the accident with a low settlement offer, before the victim has a clear picture of the full extent of their injuries and losses
- Calling on a recorded line and pulling the victim’s words out of context to use against them later
- Arguing that the victim’s injuries are not as serious as claimed based on limited visible damage to the vehicle, a tactic frequently used to dispute whiplash injuries
- Requesting medical authorization to review the injury record but using that access to comb through the victim’s entire medical history in search of pre-existing conditions or old injuries
- Assigning an inflated share of the blame to the victim in order to reduce the amount the insurer has to pay out
It’s also worth staying off social media until after your claim is resolved. Insurance adjusters have been known to use posts and photos as supposed evidence against injury victims, even though a single image tells nothing about the level of pain a person is living with every day.
Sobering Car Accident Statistics
Car accidents happen every day, and most of us assume they happen to other people. The numbers tell a different story. Around 40,000 people died in traffic crashes across the United States in 2023, and while that figure has been trending down slightly, it remains far above pre-pandemic levels. Missouri and Kansas City statistics paint an equally sobering picture:
- Missouri recorded 954 traffic fatalities in 2024, an average of nearly three lives lost every single day
- Kansas City saw 97 traffic deaths in 2024 alone, with more than 4,600 additional non-fatal crashes that same year
- Traffic deaths in Kansas City reached a 16-year high in 2021, with 103 fatalities
- Nearly 200 people were killed in Kansas City car crashes across 2022 and 2023 combined
- The Kansas City Police Department cites excessive speed, impaired driving, and failure to wear a seatbelt as the leading causes of fatal crashes in the city
- Kansas City’s traffic fatality rate of roughly 18 deaths per 100,000 residents is more than triple the rate seen in comparable cities in other countries
Kansas City has set an ambitious goal of reaching zero traffic fatalities by 2030 through its Vision Zero program, which focuses on redesigning dangerous roads, improving intersections, and reducing vehicle speeds in high-risk corridors.
The Most Common Types of Car Accidents in Kansas City
Nobody gets behind the wheel expecting a crash before they arrive at their destination, but most people will be involved in at least one car accident during their lifetime. The most common types of car accidents in Kansas City include:
- Rear-end collisions: These frequently result from drivers who are following too closely or traveling too fast to stop before hitting the vehicle ahead of them.
- Side-impact collisions: Known as T-bone or angle crashes, these typically occur at intersections when a driver runs a red light, blows through a stop sign, or fails to yield the right of way.
- Head-on collisions: These usually happen when a driver drifts across the center line, cuts a curve too wide, or enters a one-way street or divided highway traveling the wrong direction.
- Sideswipe collisions: This type of crash occurs when one vehicle strikes the side of another in a glancing blow, sometimes pushing one or both vehicles out of control. Unsafe lane changes are the most common cause.
- Roadway departures: This happens when a vehicle veers off the road and strikes an obstacle or rolls over. Distracted driving, sideswipe collisions, road debris, and poor road conditions are all common contributing factors.
- Rollover accidents: These occur during high-speed roadway departures or in collisions involving taller vehicles like SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, buses, and large commercial trucks.
- Truck accidents: Crashes involving large semi-trucks can be devastating for everyone involved. A Kansas City truck accident attorney at Bretz Injury Law can pursue accountability against negligent drivers and the trucking companies that employ them.
The Steps You Should Take Immediately After a Kansas City Car Accident
Car accidents are frightening, particularly when they involve serious injuries and lasting trauma. If you are badly hurt, your only option may be to stay still and wait for help to arrive. But if you’re able to move safely, or if you can hand your phone to someone who wasn’t injured, take the following steps to protect yourself both physically and legally:
- Call 911 right away to report the accident and request emergency services
- Attend to any immediate first aid needs
- Use your phone to photograph all damaged vehicles
- Capture the full scene, including the intersection, traffic signs, skid marks, and any road debris
- Photograph any visible injuries on yourself or others
- Collect the contact and insurance information of every driver involved
- Gather the names and contact details of any eyewitnesses, especially if there is no video footage of the crash
- Accept emergency transport to the hospital, or arrange your own transportation there once you are cleared to leave the scene
At the hospital, ask for a thorough medical evaluation in addition to treatment for any obvious injuries. This helps catch injuries with delayed symptoms and creates a detailed medical record, which is critical evidence in a car accident claim.
In the days and weeks after your accident, hold onto copies of all medical bills, get a copy of the police report, and contact an attorney at Bretz Injury Law before speaking with any insurance adjuster.
The Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Kansas City We See
Driver error is the leading cause of the vast majority of car accidents. Less frequently, the responsible party in a Kansas City car accident claim turns out to be a negligent road maintenance agency or the maker of a defective auto part. Common causes of car accidents in Missouri include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Intoxicated driving
- Failure to yield the right of way at an intersection
- Unsafe lane changes
- Unsafe left turns at intersections
- Drowsy driving
- Aggressive driving
- Defective auto parts
- Poor roadway design
- Obstructed traffic signs
- Unexpected hazards such as fallen tree limbs or animals crossing the road
A skilled attorney at Bretz Injury Law will investigate your accident to identify who was at fault and build a clear record of evidence to support your claim for property damage, medical costs, and other losses.
Call the Car Accident Attorneys at Bretz Injury Law Today
Timing matters in a car accident claim. Missouri gives injury victims up to five years to file a lawsuit, but evidence fades fast and cases build momentum early. Moving quickly gives your attorney the best chance to gather strong evidence and develop a full picture of what your injuries and losses are truly worth. Contact the car accident attorneys at Bretz Injury Law today for a free consultation and let us get to work on your case.