What to Do After a Car Wreck in Liberty and Clay County

1. Get safe. If your car can move and it's safe, get it out of traffic and turn on your hazard lights. On I-35 or a busy road like Route 291 or 152, staying in a damaged car in a live lane is dangerous. If you can't move the car, stay buckled in or get well off the road.

2. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Your health comes first. Tell the dispatcher where you are, how many vehicles are involved, and whether anyone is hurt.

3. Get the police there. Who responds depends on where you are:

• Inside Liberty city limits: the Liberty Police Department usually responds.
• On the interstate and state highways: the Missouri State Highway Patrol may handle it.
• In unincorporated parts of Clay County: the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
• In Gladstone, Kearney, North Kansas City and other cities: the local police department.

Before you leave, ask the officer for the report number and the agency's name.

4. Trade information, and keep it short. Get the other driver's:

• name and phone number
• insurance company and policy number
• driver's license number
• license plate

If it's a commercial vehicle, get the company name and any USDOT number on the door. Be polite, but don't argue about what happened and don't apologize. Even a friendly "I'm sorry" can be twisted later.

5. Take photos and video. Photograph:

• all the vehicles, from several angles
• the license plates
• the road and any skid marks
• traffic signals and signs
• the weather and lighting
• any visible injuries

A short video walking around the scene helps too.

6. Find witnesses. Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw the crash. Independent witnesses can matter a lot when the other driver tells a different story later. Also look for businesses or homes with cameras that may have caught the crash.

7. Get medical care, even if you feel fine. Go to the emergency room, urgent care or your own doctor. Liberty Hospital and North Kansas City Hospital both serve the area. Adrenaline can hide pain, and some injuries take a day or two to show up, including concussions, whiplash and back injuries. Tell the doctor you were in a car crash and describe every symptom.

8. Report the crash to your own insurance company. Most policies require you to report a crash promptly. Stick to the basic facts.

9. Be careful with the other driver's insurance company. Their adjuster may call quickly and ask for a recorded statement. You don't have to give one. Anything you say can be used to reduce your claim. Don't sign medical releases or settlement papers before you talk with a lawyer.

10. Start a file. Keep everything in one place:

• the report number
• photos
• medical records and bills
• receipts
• repair estimates
• rental car costs
• notes about missed work

A simple journal of your pain and what you can't do is useful too.

11. Get the crash report.

• Liberty Police Department: reports are requested through the Records Unit, online or in person. They're usually ready within a few business days.
• Missouri State Highway Patrol: reports are requested through the Patrol's online records center, usually starting about 10 days after the crash.
• Gladstone: crash reports are available through the city's online report search.

12. Follow your doctor's treatment plan. Go to every appointment, physical therapy session and follow-up. Gaps in treatment are one of the first things an insurer points to when it wants to pay less.

13. Watch what you post. Insurance companies look at social media. A photo of you at a family event can be used to argue you're not really hurt. The safest move is not to post about the crash or your injuries at all.

14. Check whether you need to file a state report. If the crash involved an uninsured driver and someone was hurt or killed, or property damage went over the state's threshold, Missouri law (RSMo 303.040) requires a written report to the Department of Revenue within 30 days. The same applies if you were driving without insurance.

15. Check your own coverage. Every Missouri auto policy has to include uninsured motorist coverage. You may also have underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments coverage, or both. These can matter a lot if the other driver has little or no insurance.

• At-fault state. The driver who caused the crash, and their insurer, is responsible for the harm.
• Pure comparative fault. You can recover even if you were partly at fault, reduced by your share of the blame.
• Seat belts. Under RSMo 307.178, not wearing a seat belt can only reduce damages by up to 1%, and only with proof the belt would have prevented the injury.
• Phones. Missouri's hands-free law bars drivers from holding or supporting a phone while driving. It took effect August 28, 2023, and tickets started January 1, 2025.
• Deadlines. Most personal injury claims must be filed within five years. Wrongful death claims have three years. Claims against government entities can need notice much sooner.

You don't need a lawyer for every fender bender. It's worth a free consultation if:

• you were hurt or missed work
• the other driver is blaming you
• the insurance company is pushing you to settle fast
• the other driver had no insurance
• the crash involved a semi-truck or commercial vehicle
• someone died

Not sure? See Do I need a lawyer after a minor car accident in Missouri?

Dougherty & Holloway is a personal injury law firm in Liberty at 9 Westowne Dr, Ste B. Partners Ed Dougherty and Philip Holloway are trial attorneys with more than 80 years of combined experience, and you work directly with them.

Consultations are free, and we work on a contingency fee. Ask us how fees and case costs work before you sign anything.

Call (816) 891-9990, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or request a free consultation.