Hit by a Truck in Kansas City?

A collision with a semi-truck, 18-wheeler, or commercial vehicle is a violent event. The size and weight disparity — a loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds compared to a passenger car's 3,500 — means injuries are often severe or catastrophic.

Call 911 immediately. Under Missouri law, you must report any accident involving injury, death, or property damage exceeding $500. For truck accidents on Kansas City's interstates, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) will typically respond and investigate. For crashes on city streets, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department (KCPD) handles the investigation.

Do not try to move if you have neck or back pain. Wait for paramedics. Spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and internal bleeding are common in truck crashes and can be worsened by movement.

This is different from a typical car accident. The trucking company will deploy its own investigators — sometimes within hours. Insurance adjusters, risk managers, and even hired accident reconstruction teams may arrive at the scene or contact you at the hospital.

Do not give any statement to the trucking company, their insurance carrier, or anyone representing them. Anything you say can and will be used to minimize the company's liability. You are under no obligation to speak with them. Simply say: "I'm not prepared to give a statement. Please contact my attorney."

Trucking companies have legal teams on retainer specifically to limit their exposure after crashes. You need representation that can match that level of resources.

Truck accident evidence is uniquely time-sensitive. Federal regulations require commercial carriers to maintain electronic logging devices (ELDs), but data can be overwritten. Black box (event data recorder) information, driver logbooks, maintenance records, drug and alcohol test results, and dispatch communications are all critical — and the trucking company controls access to most of it.

If you're physically able, photograph the truck (including the company name, USDOT number, and license plate), the damage to all vehicles, the road and weather conditions, any cargo that spilled, and your injuries. Get contact information from witnesses.

An attorney can send a spoliation letter to the trucking company demanding they preserve all evidence. This must happen quickly — often within days, not weeks.

Truck accident injuries tend to be far more severe than those in car-on-car collisions. University Health (formerly Truman Medical Center) operates the Kansas City region's Level I trauma center at Hospital Hill downtown — this is where the most critical injuries are treated. Saint Luke's Hospital on the Country Club Plaza, Research Medical Center, and North Kansas City Hospital are also equipped for major trauma. Children's Mercy Kansas City handles pediatric emergencies.

Even if you were released from the emergency room, follow up with your primary care doctor or a specialist within 72 hours. Traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage, spinal cord injuries, and crush injuries often require ongoing evaluation. Keep every medical record, bill, and receipt — these form the backbone of your claim.

Truck accident liability is more complex than a standard car crash. Multiple parties may share responsibility:

The truck driver may be liable for speeding, distracted driving, fatigue (violating federal hours-of-service regulations), impairment, or aggressive driving. The trucking company may be liable under respondeat superior (employer liability) for the driver's actions, or independently for negligent hiring, inadequate training, pressure to violate safety regulations, or poor vehicle maintenance. The cargo loading company may be liable if improperly loaded or secured cargo caused or contributed to the crash. The truck or parts manufacturer may be liable if a defective component (brakes, tires, steering) failed. Government entities may be liable if dangerous road conditions contributed — though Missouri's sovereign immunity statute (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.600) limits these claims.

If MSHP or KCPD responded, they'll generate a report automatically. For KCPD reports, purchase them online through BuyCrash at kcpolice.org, by mail at 1125 Locust Street, Kansas City, MO 64106, or by calling (816) 234-5100. Reports typically become available 10–14 business days after the incident.

For Missouri State Highway Patrol reports (common for interstate truck crashes), use the MSHP online crash report system at mshp.dps.missouri.gov. Suburban departments in Independence, Lee's Summit, Grandview, and Blue Springs have their own processes.

If law enforcement did not investigate, you must file a written crash report with the Missouri Department of Revenue within 30 days.

Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4), you have five years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This is one of the longest deadlines in the country. (Note: Missouri HB 68, passed the House in 2025, would reduce this to two years for injuries after August 28, 2025. The bill did not receive a Senate vote. The five-year deadline remains current law as of March 2026. Always verify with an attorney.)

Missouri follows pure comparative fault (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.765). There is no bar to recovery. Even if you were partially at fault, your recovery is reduced by your fault percentage but never eliminated.

If a truck accident results in death, wrongful death claims must be filed within three years (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100).

Truck accident cases involve federal FMCSA regulations, complex insurance structures (trucking companies often carry $1 million or more in liability coverage), multiple potentially liable parties, and aggressive defense teams. Most truck accident attorneys in Kansas City offer free consultations and work on contingency — you pay nothing unless they recover compensation for you.

The stakes are high. Truck accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries — spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, severe burns, and wrongful death. The compensation can be substantial, reflecting the severity of injuries and the defendants' degree of negligence.