During a dust storm that covered much of western Kansas, 71 vehicles, including passenger cars, big rigs, and other commercial vehicles, crashed along the I-70 in one of the worst pileups in the state’s history. Authorities have confirmed that 8 people died in the multi-vehicle accident and at least another 30 people needed medical attention for their injuries.
Kansas Highway Patrol officers first received reports of the accident around 3:22 PM on Friday, March 14, 2025, in Sherman County. Upon arrival, first responders were shocked at just how many vehicles were in the pileup, including several semi-trucks, which seem to have caused the most damage to surrounding vehicles.
Investigations are still ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident. However, it is known that a strong dust storm with gusts close to 60 mph would have been blowing directly across the I-70 as it ran west-to-east. A wall of thick dust would have greatly obscured the visibility of any motorist on the highway, potentially causing a rear-end collision that then triggered another rear-end collision, and then another, one after the other.
(For more information about this deadly accident along the I-70 in western Kansas, you can click here to read a full article from The Wichita Eagle. Log-in or subscription may be required.)
Will Lawsuits Be Filed by Those Affected by the Deadly Pileup?
As mentioned, no official word has been given yet about how the deadly 71-vehicle pileup on the I-70 began. While the dust storm is a contributing factor to the massive accident, the gusts were likely not enough to cause a vehicle to crash into another along the highway. Instead, a driver or truck driver – or multiple motorists in different vehicles – might have made a mistake that triggered the collision, such as tailgating or driving too quickly for the conditions created by the inclement weather.
At this point, due to the unknowns, it isn’t clear if any of the injured motorists or the families of those who have passed away intend to take legal action in pursuit of justice and compensation for their losses. However, the option of filing an wrongful death claim or lawsuit cannot be ruled out.
Trust in the Experience of Our Attorneys
Our truck accident attorneys of Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman send sincere condolences to anyone who was affected by the recent tragic multi-vehicle pileup on the I-70 in Kansas. Throughout our many years of practice experience, we have helped countless clients seek justice and recoveries after being in similar accidents, including a hard-fought truck accident case that we handled for a client who was injured in a wreck along the same stretch of the I-70 several years ago. We know just how difficult it can be to try to move on after such a life-changing accident, especially when insurance companies don’t want to do their part, so we would like to offer our counsel to anyone who has questions about their legal options after this crash.
During a no-cost initial case consultation, our attorneys can explain your options to you and answer any questions you have. Even if you don’t think you want to start legal action after the wreck, you might feel better just talking to a legal professional about it. There is no pressure to start a claim with our law firm, and you don’t have to pay a penny or sign a contract just to talk to us.
If you want to speak with an attorney after being in a truck accident in Kansas, call (816) 542-5999 now and schedule a free case review with Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman.