According to statistics from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), there were 52,469 traffic crashes statewide in 2020, causing 15,997 injuries and 426 fatalities. Traffic accidents usually leave victims confused about the next steps to take or how to recover damages for their injuries.
Rideshare giants Uber and Lyft are constantly expanding their service across the United States, and an ever-increasing number of people sign up to become rideshare drivers to make money. However, with the increasing number of rideshare drivers and passengers comes a higher likelihood of accidents involving Uber and Lyft vehicles.
If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you’ve likely had to speak with an insurance adjuster in the days and weeks following the incident. Although this is a very common process, it can also be stressful, especially if you’re still trying to recover from injuries sustained in the accident.
Each year in Kansas, there are over 130,000 people who are involved in a car accident, either as the driver or passenger of a car—or as a pedestrian. While the majority of these people are physically unharmed, they still must contend with insurance companies if there was any property damage.
A lot of accident victims delay or fail to get medical attention because they believe their injuries are minimal and will heal over time. However, even if you feel fine after the incident, you should still visit a doctor.
Being injured in an accident entails many hurdles and legal issues, including questions regarding liability and uncertainty about the payment of medical bills. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), accidents in Kansas and Missouri account for nearly 1,300 combined traffic fatalities per year.
Unfortunately, car accidents are an all-too-common occurrence in today’s world. In Kansas alone, over 47,000 people a year are involved in a car crash that results in damaged property, not to mention over 13,000 people who sustain bodily injuries.
Expert witnesses such as doctors, crash reconstructionist, and life care planners are crucial to winning an injury claim. Insurance companies rely on the United States Supreme Court case, Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to challenge injury claimant’s expert testimony.
Car wreck, auto accident, crash – call it what you want, these unfortunate events can cause serious injuries and serious financial heartache. But you don’t have to face it alone. The experienced injury lawyers at Biesterveld & Crook are here to help guide you through the injury claim process. We help find the right doctors, gather the necessary evidence and make a demand for compensation from the negligent driver’s insurance company.
Kansas law has long recognized causes of action for negligent hiring and negligent retention. Negligent hiring and retention run in a similar vein and create liability for an employer for injuries to a third party which result from “the unfitness or incompetence of the employee.”
