18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys Serving Kearny County, Kansas

When 80,000 Pounds Changes Everything

The impact was catastrophic. One moment you’re driving on I-70 through Kearny County—maybe heading toward Lakin, Dean, or just passing through the High Plains. The next, an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer is jackknifing across your lane, or barreling through a stop sign, or crushing your vehicle in a rear-end collision that you had no chance to avoid.

If you’re reading this from a hospital bed in Kearny County, or if you’re searching for answers after a loved one was injured in a trucking accident on US-50 or US-83, you need to know something critical: the trucking company already has lawyers working to protect them. Their insurance adjuster has already started building a defense. And critical evidence is disappearing right now.

At Attorney911, we’ve spent over 25 years fighting for families devastated by 18-wheeler accidents. Ralph Manginello, our managing partner, has been holding negligent trucking companies accountable since 1998. He’s admitted to federal court and has taken on Fortune 500 corporations like BP in the Texas City Refinery litigation that resulted in $2.1 billion in total settlements. We know exactly how trucking companies try to hide evidence—and we know how to stop them.

But here’s what keeps us awake at night: black box data can be overwritten in 30 days. Dashcam footage gets deleted within weeks. And witness memories fade fast. If you’ve been hurt in a Kearny County trucking accident, call us immediately at 1-888-ATTY-911. We’ll send a spoliation letter today to preserve the evidence that wins cases.

Why 18-Wheeler Accidents in Kearny County Are Different

Kearny County isn’t just another dot on the map for us. We know this is agricultural heartland where grain trucks dominate the highways during harvest season. We know that I-70 cuts straight through your county, carrying transcontinental freight from Denver to Kansas City. We know that US-83 runs north-south, connecting the Oklahoma panhandle to the Nebraska border, creating a perfect storm of heavy truck traffic.

And we know that Kansas weather doesn’t forgive mistakes. When winter storms hit the High Plains, that 80,000-pound truck needs 525 feet to stop at highway speeds—nearly two football fields. On ice-covered roads outside Lakin or during a whiteout on I-70, physics wins every time.

But here’s what makes trucking cases legally different from regular car accidents: multiple parties can be held responsible, and the insurance coverage is massive.

While a typical car accident might involve $30,000 in coverage, federal law requires commercial trucks to carry minimum liability insurance of $750,000 for general freight, $1 million for oil and equipment, and $5 million for hazardous materials. Many carriers carry $1-5 million or more.

That means if you’ve suffered catastrophic injuries in Kearny County, there may actually be enough insurance to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and future care—if you have an attorney who knows how to access those policies before they’re protected.

The Ten Parties Who Might Owe You Money

Most law firms only sue the driver and the trucking company. That’s a mistake. In 25 years of trucking litigation, we’ve learned that maximum recovery comes from investigating every potentially liable party.

Here’s who we look at when an 18-wheeler causes devastation in Kearny County:

1. The Truck Driver
The obvious first defendant, but there’s nothing simple here. Was the driver texting? We subpoena cell phone records. Were they fatigued? We download ELD data showing hours-of-service violations. Did they have a valid CDL? We demand their Driver Qualification File. Kansas follows modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar—meaning you can recover as long as you’re not 50% or more at fault, but your damages are reduced by your percentage of blame. We fight to minimize any fault attributed to you.

2. The Trucking Company (Motor Carrier)
Under the doctrine of respondeat superior, employers are responsible for their employees’ negligent acts. But we don’t stop there. We investigate negligent hiring—did they check the driver’s background? Negligent training—did they teach proper cargo securement for those Kansas grain loads? Negligent supervision—did they know about prior violations?

Our associate attorney Lupe Peña spent years working for a national insurance defense firm before joining Attorney911. He knows exactly how trucking companies try to avoid liability—and now he uses that insider knowledge to fight for you.

3. The Cargo Owner/Shipper
When that grain truck rolled over on US-50, was it overloaded? Did the shipper pressure the driver to exceed weight limits? In agricultural regions like Kearny County, we’ve seen loading facilities cut corners to get crops to market faster.

4. The Loading Company
If third-party loaders secured the cargo, they may be liable for improper distribution that caused a rollover. Kansas wheat and corn hauls require specific securement under 49 CFR § 393.100—when loaders ignore these rules, people die.

5. The Truck/Trailer Manufacturer
Defective brakes, faulty steering mechanisms, or inadequate underride guards can create product liability claims. We investigate recall notices and NHTSA complaints.

6. Parts Manufacturers
Tire blowouts cause 11,000+ crashes annually. If a defective tire caused your accident, the manufacturer may be liable under strict product liability.

7. The Maintenance Company
Did a quick-lube facility in Kearny County fail to properly service the brakes? Maintenance records don’t lie—unless they destroy them. That spoliation letter we send immediately prevents that.

8. The Freight Broker
Brokers who arrange transportation must verify carrier safety records. If they hired a carrier with terrible CSA scores to save money, they may share liability.

9. The Truck Owner (If Different)
Owner-operators lease their equipment. The owner may be liable for negligent entrustment or failure to maintain.

10. Government Entities
If poor road design on a Kearny County highway contributed—like inadequate signage on I-70 or failure to address known ice hazards—we may have claims against the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Each of these parties carries separate insurance. That’s how we maximize your recovery—we leave no stone unturned.

The Accidents We See on Kearny County Roads

Every region has its unique hazards. In Kearny County, we see specific patterns that require specific legal strategies:

Jackknife Accidents on I-70
When winter storms hit the High Plains, truck drivers hit their brakes too hard on ice, causing the trailer to swing perpendicular to the cab. These jackknives often block multiple lanes, causing secondary pileups. Under 49 CFR § 393.48, brake system maintenance is mandatory. When companies defer winter maintenance to save costs, they violate federal law.

Rollovers on US-83 and US-56
Kansas wind is no joke. When a high-profile trailer hits a crosswind on the open plains of Kearny County, the result can be catastrophic. Speeding on curves, improper cargo securement, or shifting grain loads create rollover risks that kill. We investigate load manifests and ECM data showing exactly how fast that truck was going when it tipped.

Rear-End Collisions
A loaded truck needs 40% more stopping distance than a passenger vehicle. When truckers drive distracted—texting, using dispatch radios, or simply zoning out during the long haul across Kansas—they crush smaller vehicles. Under 49 CFR § 392.11, following too closely is a violation. We prove it with ECM data showing the driver’s reaction time (or lack thereof).

Cargo Spills and Shift Accidents
During harvest season, overloaded grain trucks and improperly secured equipment create deadly hazards. When a load shifts on a curve outside Dean or Lakin, the truck becomes uncontrollable. 49 CFR § 393.100-136 sets specific securement standards—when trucking companies ignore them to move crops faster, they’re liable for every penny of damage.

Underride Collisions
When a car slides under a trailer, the result is often decapitation or catastrophic head trauma. While federal law requires rear underride guards (49 CFR § 393.86), many are poorly maintained. Side underride guards aren’t even required federally, though they should be.

Tire Blowouts
Extreme temperature variations in Kansas—scorching summers and frigid winters—cause tire failures. When a steer tire blows at highway speed on I-70, the driver loses control instantly. We check tire age, maintenance records, and whether pre-trip inspections were actually performed under 49 CFR § 396.13.

Brake Failures on Mountainous Grades
While Kearny County is relatively flat, truckers coming down from the Rockies into Kansas may already have overheated brakes. Brake failure causes 29% of truck crashes, and under 49 CFR § 396.3, systematic maintenance is mandatory—not optional.

Driver Fatigue
The 11-hour driving limit under 49 CFR § 395.8 exists because tired truckers kill. But pressure to deliver agricultural products during harvest season leads to logbook falsification and ELD tampering. We know how to spot it.

The Evidence That Wins Cases (And Why It Disappears Fast)

Here’s what the trucking company doesn’t want you to know: evidence has an expiration date.

Within 30 days, the ECM (electronic control module) data showing speed and braking can be overwritten. Within weeks, dashcam footage gets deleted. Dispatch records get “lost.” Maintenance logs get “updated.”

That’s why we act fast. When you call 1-888-ATTY-911, we immediately send spoliation letters to every potential defendant, putting them on legal notice that destroying evidence will have serious consequences. Kansas courts can impose sanctions, adverse inference instructions, or even default judgment for spoliation.

What We Preserve:

• ECM/Black Box Data: Shows speed, throttle position, brake application, and fault codes from the moments before impact
• ELD Records: Electronic logging devices prove hours-of-service violations—critical in fatigue cases
• Driver Qualification Files: Employment applications, background checks, medical certifications, and previous employer inquiries under 49 CFR § 391.51
• Maintenance Records: Pre-trip and post-trip inspections, annual inspections, and repair logs under 49 CFR § 396.3
• Cell Phone Records: Proving distracted driving at the exact moment of impact
• GPS/Telematics: Real-time location and speed data
• Dashcam Footage: Often the smoking gun showing exactly what happened

As client Chad Harris told us: “You are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” That means we treat your case with the urgency it deserves from minute one.

Catastrophic Injuries and What They’re Worth

We won’t sugarcoat it: 18-wheeler accidents cause devastating injuries. When an 80,000-pound truck hits a 4,000-pound car, physics is brutal.

Traumatic Brain Injuries
TBI ranges from concussions to permanent cognitive impairment. Symptoms include memory loss, personality changes, and inability to work. Our firm has recovered $1.5 million to $9.8 million for TBI victims.

Spinal Cord Injuries
Paraplegia and quadriplegia require lifetime care. We’ve secured $4.7 million to $25.8 million for spinal cord injury victims to cover medical care, home modifications, and lost earning capacity.

Amputations
Traumatic amputations at the scene or surgical amputations due to crush injuries change everything. Prosthetics, rehabilitation, and lost function result in settlements ranging from $1.9 million to $8.6 million.

Wrongful Death
When a trucking accident takes a loved one in Kearny County, Kansas law allows recovery for lost income, loss of consortium, mental anguish, and funeral expenses. We’ve recovered $1.9 million to $9.5 million for families devastated by wrongful death.

Severe Burns and Internal Injuries
Fuel fires and hazmat spills cause disfigurement and organ damage that require multiple surgeries and lifetime care.

These aren’t just numbers. As Glenda Walker said after we fought for her: “They fought for me to get every dime I deserved.” That’s our promise to you.

Kansas Law and Your Rights

Statute of Limitations: In Kansas, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Wait longer, and you lose your right to sue forever. But waiting is dangerous—evidence disappears, witnesses move, and your injuries may worsen without documentation.

Comparative Negligence: Kansas uses modified comparative fault with a 50% bar. This means if you’re found 49% at fault, you can still recover 51% of your damages. But if you’re 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing. That’s why aggressive investigation matters—we fight to prove the truck driver and company were 100% responsible.

Damage Caps: Kansas caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering) at $250,000 to $500,000 depending on the year, but there’s no cap on economic damages like medical bills and lost wages. And there are ways to maximize recovery within these boundaries—particularly when multiple defendants carry separate insurance policies.

What Sets Attorney911 Apart

We’ve told you about Ralph Manginello’s 25+ years of experience. We’ve told you about Lupe Peña’s insider knowledge of insurance defense tactics. But there’s more:

We Speak Spanish: Kearny County has a significant Hispanic community working in agriculture. Lupe Peña is fluent in Spanish and provides direct representation without interpreters. Hablamos Español. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911.

We Take Cases Other Firms Reject: As client Donald Wilcox told us: “One company said they would not accept my case. Then I got a call from Manginello… I got a call to come pick up this handsome check.” If you’ve been turned down by another firm, call us.

We Win Against Big Companies: We recently filed a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity for hazing that hospitalized a student. We’ve gone toe-to-toe with BP, Walmart, Amazon, FedEx, and Coca-Cola. We don’t back down from corporate defendants.

We’re Available 24/7: Trucking accidents don’t happen during business hours. That’s why you can reach us at 1-888-ATTY-911 any time, day or night.

No Fee Unless We Win: We work on contingency—33.33% pre-trial, 40% if we go to trial. You pay nothing upfront. We advance all costs.

Frequently Asked Questions About 18-Wheeler Accidents in Kearny County

What should I do immediately after a truck accident in Kearny County?
Call 911, seek medical attention immediately, photograph everything including the truck’s DOT number, get witness information, and call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 before talking to any insurance company.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Kansas?
Two years from the accident date. But don’t wait—evidence disappears fast.

What if I was partially at fault?
Under Kansas law, you can recover as long as you’re less than 50% at fault. But the trucking company will try to blame you—call us to protect your rights.

How much is my case worth?
It depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost wages, and available insurance. But trucking companies carry $750,000 to $5 million in coverage—far more than regular cars.

Will my case go to trial?
Most settle, but we prepare every case for trial. Insurance companies offer better settlements when they know you’re ready to go to court.

What if the trucking company destroys evidence?
That’s called spoliation, and it’s illegal. We send preservation letters immediately to prevent this, and courts can sanction companies that destroy evidence.

Can I sue if my loved one died?
Yes. Kansas allows wrongful death claims for families who lost someone due to trucking negligence.

What if the driver was an independent contractor?
We still sue the trucking company for negligent hiring/supervision, and we investigate insurance coverage on both the driver and carrier.

Do you handle cases in rural Kearny County?
Absolutely. We know I-70, US-50, US-83, and the local roads. Distance is never an issue—we’ll come to you.

Your Next Step

The trucking company has lawyers. Their insurance company has adjusters. They started building their defense the moment that truck hit you.

What are you doing to protect yourself?

Don’t wait. Evidence is disappearing daily. Medical bills are mounting. And the two-year Kansas statute of limitations is ticking.

Call Attorney911 right now at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We’ll answer immediately, start preserving evidence today, and fight to get you every dime you deserve.

Or fill out our contact form at attorney911.com. The consultation is free. You pay nothing unless we win. And we’re ready to fight for you just like we fought for Chad Harris, Donald Wilcox, Glenda Walker, and hundreds of other families.

When an 18-wheeler changes your life, call Attorney911. Your family deserves an attorney who treats you like family.

Hablamos Español. Llame hoy al 1-888-ATTY-911.

Attorney911 – The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC
Houston: 1177 West Loop S, Suite 1600
Also serving Austin, Beaumont, and communities throughout Kansas including Kearny County, Lakin, Dean, and across the High Plains

Ralph Manginello, Managing Partner | Texas Bar #24007597 | Admitted Southern District of Texas
Lupe Peña, Associate Attorney | Texas Bar #24084332 | Former Insurance Defense