Kansas City Trailer Accident Lawyers                    1-866-668-9241

Personal Injury Attorneys: Trailer Accidents

Kansas City - Nationwide

At Stueve Siegel Hanson, in Kansas City, Missouri, and at The Henning Law Firm, we represent people who have been injured or killed as a result of trailer accidents. We know that the consequences of any trailer accident can be life changing. Tow-behind trailers that are hitched to the back of trucks, sport utility vehicles ("SUVs") and even passenger vehicles pose extremely hazardous risks when not operated in a safe manner and when not properly secured and connected to their tow vehicles.

The government simply does not keep track and does not supply statistics about runaway trailer crashes or trailer accidents. Recently, however, the Los Angeles Times has reported that there were about 540 runaway trailer accidents in the last 7 years nationwide. These accidents reportedly resulted in hundreds of injuries and at least 164 deaths. Many of these incidents, however, go unreported by news sources.

A study conducted by Master Lock® found that most owners of trailers lacked the basic handling knowledge and safety skills required for towing. Moreover, in the same study, the report indicated that nearly half of those owners failed to even attach safety chains to the trailer and/or tow vehicles.

While some states do require the use of safety chains, the safety requirements and regulations governing proper towing are not uniform throughout the states. Similarly, there is no rule in any of the states that requires a person towing a tow-behind trailer to have any special training, instruction or license. In 1960, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration proposed federal safety standards and regulations governing the proper trailer hookup and safety instructions for tow-behind trailers. To no surprise, however, manufacturers and rental companies in the industry lobbied to fight implementation of the proposal and it was dropped in 1972.

Our lawyers handle these complicated and tragic trailer accident cases. Because of the serious nature of injuries related to trailer accidents, our lawyers handle each case with utmost attention to detail. We start by doing a thorough investigation of the facts, the vehicles, the scene of the accident and the laws. We often consult with accident reconstruction experts and utilize our contacts with the nation's leading trailer experts in order to properly evaluate and prosecute your case.

Case Results (Click here for more results)

Confidential Settlement
Wrongful Death Trailer Accident
Lewis v. Door Systems Inc., et al.,

Stueve Siegel Hanson sued Door Systems, Inc. and its owners for the wrongful death of Mr. Lewis. In the morning of January 4, 2006, a runaway 2-ton trailer collided head-on into Mr. Lewis' 1999 Ford Explorer and tragically decapitated and killed him while he was driving by himself in a southerly direction on US 50 Highway. The 2-ton trailer was improperly attached to a 2001 GMC Sierra pickup traveling north, on U.S. 50 Highway. The lawsuit claimed that Defendants failed to conduct even a cursory inspection of the trailer and truck prior to operating the vehicle that would have revealed the improper ball and hitch assembly, the improper installation and use of the safety chain, and the unconnected safety cable and electronic braking device on the home made 2-ton trailer. Within weeks of trial, we settled with all defendants for a confidential amount.

Contact Us About Your Inquiry

To talk with us about your trailer accident injury or the injury of a loved one, contact Stueve Siegel Hanson by calling 1-866-668-9241. We offer free initial consultations about trailer accidents and accept cases on a contingency basis, meaning that there are no fees unless you win.