We were hired to represent a young man seriously injured in a bicycle accident. The crash happened at an intersection. As our client was in the intersection, a car turned left in front of him, violated his right-of-way and caused the crash.
Our client sustained serious injuries in the crash, including several broken bones. He was hospitalized, was operated on twice and even after completing treatment had ongoing problems caused by his injuries. His medical expenses were more than $80,000.
The driver of the car had only $25,000 in liability coverage. So if our client had settled for this he would have been on the hook for more than $50,000 in medical expenses. He also would have recovered nothing for his other losses like future medical expenses, pain and suffering, permanent disability and lost income. All from a bicycle accident that was the other driver’s fault. Fortunately, we were able to do much better for him.
The driver was in her own personal car and the police accident report contained no indication that she was doing anything other than personal driving.
We conducted a detailed investigation which included reviewing the police report, visiting the crash scene, interviewing witnesses and other steps. Through this investigation, we learned the driver had left her workplace and was taking the company mail to the post office when she was involved in the crash.
Under Kansas law, if a person causes a car accident while they are driving for their job, their employer may in some circumstances be liable for damages resulting from the auto accident. The legal term for this rule is “respondeat superior“. Through investigation we were able to identify the driver’s employer and show that even though she was in her own personal car, she was on an errand for her employer. This was sufficient to show that the requirements under the “respondeat superior” rule were met and hold the driver’s employer and their insurance company responsible to pay for our clients injuries and damages.
The driver’s personal car insurance company paid the $25,000 in liability coverage. The employer’s insurance company paid $350,000. Our client was able to pay all of his medical expenses and receive compensation for permanent disability, pain and suffering and other losses. A case arising from a bad accident which could have financially devastated our client was brought to a successful conclusion.
Car and other traffic accidents have are one of the major causes of injuries and fatalities in the United States – including in Kansas City. However, according to the 2014 Best Drivers Report of Allstate Insurance Company, drivers in both Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri are among the safest in the entire country.
Impaired driving is a concern throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and the rest of Kansas. Many intoxicated drivers believe think are still able to drive their vehicle without a problem. When drunk drivers are on the road, their reactions are slower than they think and their driving can become impaired. Sadly, the lives of other motorists sharing the road with drunk drivers are put at risk.
Delivery trucks are a common sight on Kansas City streets. Due to their often large weight and size, tragic consequences can occur when they are involved in accidents. Equipment failures, and in particular 
Failure of drivers to exercise due care when driving can result in a devastating motor vehicle accident. This may have been the case in a recent fatal head-on collision in Leavenworth County that killed two people.
Rear-end motorcycle accidents where a motorbike is stuck from behind by a vehicle can kill or seriously injure motorcyclists not just from the impact of the crash, but also from the rider being thrown onto the road. An example of this type of accident unfortunately happened recently on Interstate 635 in Wyandotte County that caused the tragic death of a female motorcyclist.
Many people feel they safe on the road as long as they drive safely. Sadly, this is not always the case. The problem is careful drivers share the road with some motorists who operate their vehicles negligently, carelessly or recklessly. These drivers can cause serious motor vehicle accidents that may seriously harm or even kill innocent people on the road.
30 Years Legal Experience
