Kentucky Truck Accidents: Are Trucks Required By Federal Law To Carry Insurance?
Tractor-trailer trucks and other large trucks are used by companies throughout the country to transport goods from one place to another. Our economy is dependent on the trucking industry as it is still one of the fastest and lowest cost means of shipping goods in the United States. These trucks are a part of our everyday lives and we rarely pay them much attention when we are on the roads until there is a problem.
Unfortunately, despite tough federal and state regulations on the trucking industry, there are still a large number of truck accidents each day resulting in catastrophic injuries to other drivers. Because of the risk for catastrophic injuries in Kentucky trucking accidents, trucking companies are required by federal law to carry insurance to protect other drivers in the event of an accident.
If you or a family member has been injured in a Kentucky trucking accident, you have the right to receive compensation for your physical, emotional and financial damages. The experienced trucking accident lawyers of Musselwhite Meinhart & Staples can help you get the compensation you deserve to reimburse you for your losses and to help pay for your medical and personal care.
Truck Insurance and Kentucky Trucking Accidents
Because there is an inherit risk of catastrophic and traumatic injuries when a person is involved in a Kentucky trucking accident, the federal government heavily regulates trucks, drivers and trucking companies. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the government agency charged with enforcing the rules, regulations and laws governing the trucking industry. One regulation that the FMCSA enforces is the amount of liability insurance that large trucks must carry to operate legally.
For trucks that weigh less than 10,001 pounds, the minimum amount of liability insurance is $300,000. The minimum amount of liability insurance increases to $750,000 for trucks weighing over 10,001 pounds. However, if the truck is carrying certain types of hazardous materials, the company is required to carry between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000 in liability insurance depending on the type of hazardous material being transported. It should be noted that these are only minimum insurance requirements. Some trucking companies voluntarily carry higher insurance amounts because of the risk associated with trucking accidents.
Even though $750,000 is a substantial amount of money, a serious Kentucky trucking accident can result in medical bills that exceed the minimum liability insurance amount. In many cases, the damages for lost wages, permanent injury, pain and suffering far exceed the insurance limits. In some Kentucky trucking accident cases, more than one defendant is at fault for the accident. Because our attorneys take the time to complete an extensive trucking accident investigation to identify all of the responsible parties for an accident, there may be multiple defendants with multiple insurance policies to hold accountable for your injuries. This increases your chance of receiving the maximum amount of compensation available for your injuries and damages.
Contact an Experienced Radcliff and Elizabethtown Trucking Accident Attorney
We’ve Helped Thousands of KY Families, we can help you!
The trucking accident lawyers of Musselwhite Meinhart & Staples, PSC have over 50 years of combined legal experience. If you or a family member has been injured in a Kentucky trucking accident, we can help you. It is important that you contact our office as soon as possible to discuss your legal options to collect compensation for your injuries.
We represent clients throughout central Kentucky. Contact us at our Radcliff and Elizabethtown Office in Hardin County at (270) 351-6032 or toll-free at 1-800-754-HELP to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys. You may also contact our office through our convenient online contact form.