Kansas City straddles Missouri and Kansas and sits at the convergence of I-70, I-35, and I-29, making it one of the nation’s most active inland freight hubs. Cross-border accidents between two states add jurisdictional complexity to cases, and the city’s dense rail yard and intermodal activity keep commercial vehicle volumes high. Below are five highly rated law firms in Kansas City that handle truck accident and personal injury cases.
1. Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman, Chtd.
About the Firm: Since 1949, Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman has been fighting for injured victims in Kansas City. The firm has secured some of the largest settlements and verdicts for truck accident victims in the region, including a record-breaking $23.5 million verdict in Kansas, believed to be the highest accident verdict in the state’s history. In total, the firm has recovered well over half a billion dollars for injured individuals and families.
Services:
- Tractor-trailer and 18-wheeler accidents
- Wrongful death claims
- Catastrophic injury cases
- FMCSA violations and trucking regulation cases
- Insurance bad faith claims
Address: Kansas City, MO (contact for office location)
Phone: (816) 542-5999
Website: https://www.sjblaw.com/truck-accidents/
2. Brown & Crouppen Law Firm
About the Firm: Brown & Crouppen is one of the largest personal injury firms in the Midwest, with a team of over 250 legal professionals. Their Kansas City office serves the greater metro area including both Missouri and Kansas. The firm handles truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis and provides free case evaluations.
Services:
- Semi-truck and commercial vehicle accidents
- Wrongful death
- Catastrophic and spinal cord injuries
- Insurance claim negotiation
- Multi-defendant trucking litigation
Address: 2345 Grand Boulevard #675, Kansas City, MO
Phone: (816) 670-4701
Website: https://www.brownandcrouppen.com/kansas-city/truck-accidents/
3. Peterson & Associates, P.C.
About the Firm: Peterson & Associates is a trusted Kansas City truck accident law firm dedicated to helping victims of trucking accidents throughout the metro area. Their attorneys have deep knowledge of trucking regulations and industry standards, allowing them to build strong cases involving commercial trucks, semi-trailers, and large vehicles. They offer free consultations and work on a no-win, no-fee basis.
Services:
- 18-wheeler and semi-truck accidents
- Black box data and logbook investigations
- Lost wages and pain and suffering claims
- Property damage recovery
- Trucking company negligence
Address: Kansas City, MO (multiple locations)
Phone: (816) 888-8888
Website: https://www.petersonlawfirm.com/practice_areas/truck-accident-lawyer.cfm
4. Adler & Manson
About the Firm: Adler & Manson’s Kansas City personal injury attorneys have recovered more than $95 million for the injured and bereaved. The firm offers reduced fees in certain circumstances and accepts all truck accident cases on a contingency basis. With decades of experience, they are known for personalized service and aggressive representation against large trucking companies.
Services:
- Truck and commercial vehicle accidents
- Tractor-trailer collisions
- Wrongful death
- Serious and catastrophic injuries
- Insurance dispute resolution
Address: 9233 Ward Parkway, Suite 240, Kansas City, MO 64114
Phone: (816) 333-0400
Website: https://adlerandmanson.com/kansas-city-missouri-truck-accident-lawyer
5. Langdon & Emison
About the Firm: Langdon & Emison brings over 30 years of experience handling truck accident cases in Kansas City and throughout Missouri. They represent clients from Jackson County, Clay County, Platte County, Cass County, and the greater KC area. Their attorneys work on a contingency fee basis and are known as fierce advocates for injured victims facing well-funded trucking company legal teams.
Services:
- Semi-truck and 18-wheeler accidents
- Tractor-trailer collisions
- Wrongful death and survivor claims
- Evidence preservation and accident investigation
- FMCSA compliance and violations
Address: Kansas City, MO (contact for office details)
Phone: (866) 931-2115
Website: https://www.langdonemison.com/kansas-city/truck-accident-lawyer/
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents in Kansas City, MO
Kansas City straddles Missouri and Kansas, and I-70, I-35, and I-29 all converge here. If a truck accident happens on a Kansas City bridge or at a state line location, which state’s law applies?
Missouri courts apply the law of the state with the most significant relationship to the accident under the approach set out in the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws. For an accident that physically happened in Missouri, Missouri law almost always applies, even if the truck was based in Kansas or the carrier’s insurance was written in another state. Kansas City, Missouri’s courts have jurisdiction over accidents in Missouri territory, and Missouri’s comparative fault system under RSMo §537.765, which uses a pure comparative fault rule with proportional reduction, governs. For accidents in the Kansas portion of the metro, Kansas courts apply Kansas’s modified comparative fault with a 50% bar under KSA §60-258a. The exact location of the crash determines which state’s rules govern, which can significantly affect recovery.
Kansas City is a major rail hub with significant intermodal truck traffic. If the truck that hit me was hauling a container from a BNSF or Union Pacific intermodal terminal, does the railroad bear any responsibility?
Generally no. The railroad’s responsibility ends when it releases the container to the drayage carrier at the terminal gate. Once the drayage carrier takes possession and the truck leaves the terminal, the carrier is solely responsible for the vehicle’s operation on public roads. The shipper who loaded the container before it entered the rail system could face liability if the cargo was loaded in a way that shifted weight distribution and contributed to the accident, but the railroad itself is typically not a defendant in over-the-road truck accident cases. The exception would be if the accident happened within the terminal property itself, where the railroad’s premises liability could be implicated.
What is Missouri’s statute of limitations for truck accident cases, and does the City of Kansas City have any specific notice requirements for accidents involving city vehicles?
Missouri gives you five years from the date of injury for personal injury claims under RSMo §516.120, which is among the longest in the country. Wrongful death claims carry a three-year window under RSMo §537.100. For accidents involving Kansas City municipal vehicles, including city trucks or public works vehicles, Missouri’s Sovereign Immunity Act under RSMo §537.600 applies. Missouri waives sovereign immunity for vehicle negligence claims, but the waiver is subject to the city’s insurance or self-insurance pool coverage limits. Claims against Kansas City require following the city’s formal claims process before filing suit, and the city charter sets specific procedural requirements for notice. The five-year personal injury window is long enough that evidence preservation is the more urgent priority than the filing deadline.
Kansas City straddles the Missouri-Kansas state line, with the metro area’s major freight corridors—I-70, I-435, I-35, and US-169—crossing between the two states multiple times within the metropolitan area, creating recurring choice-of-law questions in truck accident litigation. Kansas applies modified comparative fault with a 50 percent bar under KSA §60-258a, barring recovery if the plaintiff is found 50 percent or more at fault. Missouri applies pure comparative fault under RSMo §537.765, allowing partial recovery regardless of the plaintiff’s percentage of fault. For accidents that occur near the state line or on bridges spanning the Missouri River between the two states, the choice of which state’s substantive law applies can determine whether a plaintiff who was partially at fault recovers anything at all. Missouri courts apply the most significant relationship test from the Restatement (Second) Conflict of Laws to resolve these questions, weighing factors including the place of the crash, the parties’ domiciles, and the place of the contractual relationship between the carrier and shipper. Missouri’s five-year personal injury limitations period under RSMo §516.120 is also dramatically longer than Kansas’s two-year window under KSA §60-513, making the applicable-law determination outcome-determinative not just on fault but on timeliness in cases where the victim delayed consulting an attorney.