Hutchinson Truck Accident Lawyer

Hutchinson Truck Accident Attorneys Helping Truck Accident Victims Fight Trucking Companies and Negligent Truck Drivers to Get Financial Compensation for Injury Victims

This page informs the reader how our Hutchinson truck accident attorney fights trucking companies with negligent truck drivers to get financial compensation for injury victims following a car and truck accident in Hutchinson, Kansas. This page informs the reader that our Hutchinson truck accident personal injury attorneys help truck accident victims receive compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, disability, wage loss and economic loss and damages for wrongful death clams and survival claims.

Hutchinson and Reno County are in Central Kansas. K-96 connects the two cities and many residents of Hutchinson travel to work to Wichita on K-96, a dangerous highway known for having significant semi-truck accidents. Thousands of people drive to Hutchinson every year to attend or visit the Kansas State Fair, Kansas Cosmosphere, and the Salt City Splash Aquatic Center.

The Kansas DOT or KDOT’s 2021 Kansas Traffic Crash Book found that in 2021 Kansas had 90,045 motor vehicle crashes resulting in 424 fatalities. The KDOT concluded that the #1 contributing circumstances to these crashes was driver inattention. Kansas had 3,316 Heavy/Large truck crashes.

The KDOT study found that Hutchinson had 732 motor vehicle accidents with 226 injuries and one fatality. South Hutchinson had 30 motor vehicle wrecks with 19 injuries and 0 deaths. Reno County, however, did not do so well and had 1,255 motor vehicle crashes resulting in 355 injuries and 2 fatalities.

Truck Accident Lawyers Group (TALG) is associated with Bull Attorneys®. All of the trucking lawyers, legal assistants and case managers are experienced in litigating personal injury claims against trucking companies and motor carriers. They follow a team approach where they work together on your case and the trial lawyers always give you their personal cell phones.

Our Hutchinson truck accident injury lawyers have handled thousands of motor vehicle accidents since 1983. Our experienced trucking accident lawyers have handled hundreds of car-truck accidents. We concentrate our law firm practice in helping truck accident victims who have been injured by tractor-trailers, commercial motor vehicles, semis and delivery drivers who deliver products like Amazon, UPS and Federal Express.

Our Hutchinson semi-truck lawyers follow a proprietary method of case development for winning tractor-trailer accidents developed over 40 years. It is unique to our firm. This method helps our big rig injury attorneys use legal techniques that help truck injury victims find additional larger insurance policies to get more financial compensation while bringing more complex legal theories to win.

Our Hutchinson personal injury attorneys help get financial compensation for all types of injury and wrongful death claims to help our clients get compensation for any of the damages below:

Pain and suffering.

Mental anguish.

Loss of enjoyment of life and loss of time.

Past and future wage loss and other economic losses.

Past and future medical bills and money for future medical treatment.

Disability and disfigurement.

Prosthetics for loss of limbs and amputations.

Wrongful death damages when a loved one is lost.

Survival claims include conscious pain and suffering for a loved who lived after their accident before dying.

Wentling damages or lost services, care and guidance.

Punitive damages when we can show that the truck driver or trucking company acted willfully, wantonly and with reckless disregard for human life.

We bring legal claims against the truck driver and the business who hired them for long-haul semi-truck driver accidents. If they are home delivery drivers, we bring claims against the company that hired them. The claims are for negligent hiring, training and supervision. We additionally bring claims making the trucking company liable for the driver under vicarious liability.

Our Hutchinson big rig injury attorneys are skilled in understanding and interpreting the federal regulations known as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and the CSA BASICs which require trucking companies and motor carriers to have basic safety plans and systems to protect other drivers from injuries and death.

Our Reno County semi-truck personal injury lawyers work for free on all trucking accidents with cars and other motor vehicles and only get paid if we win. You can call us 365 days out of the year, 24 hours a day, even on holidays by calling 620-690-0600. You can also write to us on our contact page. Our track record of results on truck accidents and car accidents is remarkable having settled 50 million dollars in client settlements in 2021 alone.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit for Injuries After a Truck Accident?

Kansas has a very short statute of limitations to file a lawsuit after a car-truck accident which is only two years from the date of the injury. The only people that have a longer time are minors under age 18 so we recommend that all legal claims be brought against the trucking company and motor carrier immediately after your accident. We recommend that you call us the same day of your accident.

The reason you need to call quickly is for several important reasons:

Evidence on the roadway disappears quickly, sometimes in the first 24-48 hours after the crash.
Witnesses’ memories fade with time so it is important to get witness statements immediately after a truck accident while their memory is clear.
The trucking company will send their defense lawyers, insurance adjusters and accident reconstruction experts or other investigators to the scene of the crash, usually arriving in the first two hours following a serious accident.
Once adjusters for the trucking company get a statement of the witnesses and drivers it may be too late to get a more accurate truthful statement because they bend facts and the truth to help create defenses.

What Roads and Intersections in Hutchinson and Reno County are Dangerous from Large Truck Traffic?

The Most Dangerous Roads in Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas are:

US Highway 50.
US-50 is one of the most dangerous highways in the US. There are constant speeding semitrucks who drive fatigued running east-west and as they approach Hutchinson car accidents ending in fatality are frequent. Trip, a national transportation research group reported that rural roads in Kansas among most dangerous in US with 2.4 deaths per 100,000 miles.
US Highway 50 and K-96 interchange.
News stations like KWCH, KAKE TV, and KSN have dozens of news stories about horrible tractor trailers accidents on US 50 near the interchange of K-96.
Kansas Highway K-96.
K-96 is a highway connecting Wichita and Hutchinson and then moving northwest to other smaller towns. It is a major trucking route where people pulling out from dozens of stop signs are killed by speeding truck drivers. Local news stations have dozens of reports of tractor trailers having catastrophic injury accidents with many ending in death.
Kansas highway K-61.
This highway runs north south through the city and has many intersections with heavy tractor trailer traffic coming through Hutchinson. The area of the interchange with US 50 is extremely dangerous. K-61 intersects with Interstate 70 to the north of Hutchinson which makes it a favorite short cut for fatigued truck drivers.
Kansas Highway K-61 and interchange of US 50.
The trucking traffic from both US 50 and K-61 are filled with 18 wheelers and delivery vehicles. The interchange where the two meet has always been extremely dangerous. It is an area to avoid.
30th Avenue. 30th Avenue runs east-west through Hutchinson.
In the fall when the Kansas State Fair is on, the traffic in the area is dangerous because of people from across the state using it as an access point to get to the state fair.
Yoder Road and K-96 Highway.
Y-96 intersects at Yoder Road and is used as a shortcut for semitrucks and regular traffic to cut to the east side of Hutchinson towards the airport where a road then turns to the west.
K-14 and US 50 Highway.
K-14 and US 50 are in a dangerous area of Hutchinson where passenger cars and pickups can expect dangerous 18-wheeler traffic.
North Plum Street and 30th Avenue.
This area is extremely dangerous during the time of the annual Kansas State Fair held in Hutchinson. 30th Avenue generates a significant amount of large semi-truck traffic since it is close to the Hutchinson Industrial Park.

What are Three Common Causes of Car Accidents with Semi-Trucks in Hutchinson, Kansas?

Hutchinson in centrally located near the center of Kansas which provides east-west routes and north-south routes for large semi-trucks to avoid law enforcement and drive while fatigued from being over the legal driving hours limits under Part 395 of the FMCSR.

Three common causes of car-tractor-trailer accidents in Hutchinson are:

Speeding
US-50 is known for speeding truck drivers racing through Kansas in order to make on-time deliveries. This dangerous highway routinely has severe car and truck crashes ending in multiple fatalities. The FMCSA Analysis Brief found that speeding is a major factor in motor vehicle crashes with large trucks.
Intersection accidents.
The intersection of Yoder Road and US-50 has been the location to dozens of semi-truck accidents results in serious injury and fatalities. Intersections accidents for tractor-trailers occur so often that the Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2019 study analyzed different types of intersections that cause accidents between large trucks and motor vehicles. They are:
- Four-way intersections. 18.5% of car crashes with semi-trucks in intersections occur at four-way intersections.
- T-Intersection. 8.3% of car crashes with semi-trucks in intersections occur at T-intersections.
- Y-Intersection. 0.5% of car crashes with semi-trucks in intersections occur at Y-intersections.
Fatigued driving.
The FMCSA Large Truck Causation Study (LTCCS) found that 13% of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers having accidents were caused by driver fatigue.

There are many other causes of large truck accidents with cars and other motor vehicles. To review the 20 leading common causes of tractor-trailer and large truck accidents click here. Regardless of what caused your semi-truck accident TALG, and the Bull Attorneys can help you win your case.

What are the Three Most Common Types of Semi-Truck Accidents?

In 2020, 4,965 people were killed and approximately 146,930 injuries occurred from drivers and passengers involved with accident in large trucks according to the NHTSA. 71 percent of the fatalities happened to the occupants in the smaller vehicles.

The three most common types of Semi-Truck Accidents with cars and smaller motor vehicles are:

Rearend Truck Accidents.
22 percent of the fatal crashes with large trucks happened from rear end collisions. Many rearend truck collision occur from speeding combined with heavy loads and poorly maintained brakes and tires.
Frontal and Head-on Accidents.
32 percent of the fatal crashes with large trucks happened from frontal and head-on impacts. Kansas two lane and three lane highways cross the state providing dangerous conditions where motorists can be killed by passing semis.
Jackknife Accidents.
Jackknife accidents happen when the trailer swings out to the side of the tractor wiping out any vehicle in its path. The FMCSA reported that 2,027 fatalities from jackknife semi-truck crashes in 2020. Bad weather and high wind conditions frequently cause jackknife accidents in Kansas where winds can reach 80 mph on bad weather days.

What are the Four States with the Highest Percentage of Large Truck Fatal Crashes?

The National Safety Council (NSC) found that the states with the highest percentage of large truck fatal crashes are:

Nebraska – 16%.
Iowa – 16%.
Kansas – 14%.
Wyoming – 14%.

Kansas is a wide-open rural state with many two-lane highways with limited passing lanes where head-on semi-truck collisions with other motor vehicles frequently happen. Always be alert for fatigued and speeding truck drivers trying to get home or make their delivery on time. Be extremely careful whenever you are near a tractor-trailer passing other vehicles.

Is the Trucking Company Responsible for their Truck Driver Causing a Car Accident?

Yes, the trucking company known as a motor carrier is responsible for the negligent actions of their truck driver as long as they are working in the course and scope of their employment at the time of the collision. Kansas is a state that allows negligence claims against the motor carrier under the legal doctrine of Respondeat Superior.

Respondeat Superior is similar to vicarious liability and holds the employer or principal hiring the truck driver liable for the negligent and wrongful acts of the employee or driver. We always bring legal claims against the trucking company because they are responsible for providing safe drivers that are not fatigued.

Many motor carriers require their drivers to deliver their loads on time. The Journal Safety Science and NIOSH found truck drivers reported violating the maximum speed rules and hours-of-service rules because of unrealistically tight delivery schedules. 15.5 percent of the drivers reported they were more likely to drive 10 mph or more over the speed limit due to tight schedules.

Whenever a trucking company creates tight schedules that make drivers exceed maximum hours rules and speed it causes them to be fatigued. The drivers fear suspension, fines and termination. When this happens, the trucking company can be sued for additional punitive damages to punish the motor carrier because it causes reckless driving.

Should I Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer for My Car Wreck?

You should always hire only an experienced truck accident lawyer for a car-truck accident.

The seven reasons why you should only hire a skilled truck accident lawyer are:

Skilled truck accident lawyers’ study and apply the FMCSR and CSA BASICs.
Experienced truck accident lawyers know how to bring additional claims against not just the truck driver, but the company they work for so that you have higher insurance coverage to pay for your financial losses.
The best truck accident attorneys will bring additional claims against the motor carrier for negligent hiring, training and supervision or failing to have the required safety plan to prevent injuries and deaths in place.
A professional truck accident lawyer is skilled at taking depositions of hiring personnel, Safety Directors, dispatch personnel, Risk Management officers and Operations managers.
Knowledgeable truck crash attorneys understand bad faith laws in Kansas that require the insurance carrier to pay its policy limits when your injuries exceed the available insurance limits for the truck driver and trucking company.
Practiced trucking injury lawyers are feared by the insurance company because they know which lawyers concentrate their law practice suing trucking companies.
Personal injury attorneys who file legal claims against the truck driver for traffic ticket violations do not understand all of the other areas of fault and liability that can increase the value of your car-truck collision.

What is the Safest Route to get to the Hutchinson State Fair?

If you are going to the Hutchinson State Fair the safest route depends upon where you are coming from. The fair is at North Main Street and West 25th Avenue in Hutchinson, Kansas.

From the South: Take K-96 to the northwest and turn north on Yoder Road. Yoder turns into Airport Road. Take Airport Road and follow it as it turns west and becomes East 17th Avenue and then heads west to North Main Street and take a right.

From the North: Head south on K-135 to McPherson. Then take K-61 south to East 56th Avenue and head west to North Plum Street and turn left or south right or west on West 30th Avenue to North Main Street.

From the East: Head west on US 50 and turn right on Airport Road. Follow Airport Road to the North as it turns west and becomes East 17th Avenue. Head west on West 17th Avenue until North Main Street and take a right.

From the Northwest: Take US 56 through Great Bend to Lyons. Turn south or right in Lyons on K-14. Take K-14 south to West 56th Avenue. Turn right or south on North Main Street.

From the Southwest: Take US 50 east to K-61 then turn north and take East 17th Avenue heading to west North Plum Street and turn right or north.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do truck drivers work so many hours?
The reason truck drivers work so many hours and exceed the hours-of-service limitation on driving hours is because trucking companies set unrealistically tight delivery schedules called on-time delivery. This pushes truck drivers to speed and drive over the legal hours allowed under the FMCSR. They do this to avoid being terminated and fined for late deliveries.

Why should I hire an attorney for my car wreck with a truck in Kansas?
You should hire an attorney after a car accident with a large truck because they file claims with the insurance company, they gather up critical evidence, provide legal advice on obtaining the best medical treatment and advise you of steps to take to win your case.

What does a wrongful death lawyer do?
A wrongful death lawyer in Kansas will bring legal claims for families to recover financial compensation for the loss of a loved one and will file wrongful death lawsuits, survival claims for conscious pain and suffering and Wentling claims for lost care, services and guidance from a lost family member.

Contact Hutchinson Office

Call Brad's cell phone at (316) 706-5020 or visit our Contact Page.

(620) 690-0600