DOT Protection
According to the 2008 Motor Carrier Safety Progress Report, there are over 100,000 injuries and 4,800 deaths involving trucking accidents per year. If you have been the victim of a trucking accident in Memphis, Knoxville, or Nashville, Tennessee, you should know just how much compensation is available from a carrier’s insurance policy.
In Tennesse, all parties in charge of transporting overweight or overdimensional articles on state highways are required by law to carry liability insurance worth no less than $300,000 per person injured and $1,000,000 per occurence.
Truck drivers must maintain valid proof of insurance for these amounts as dictated by the Department of Transportation for the state of Tennessee, under threat of criminal litigation.
Federal insurance requirements
In addition to state regulations, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) dictates the following federal insurance requirements for the trucking industry:
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Trucks carrying non-hazardous property must have no less than $750,000 of liability insurance in case of trucking accidents if the total weight is over 10,001 pounds and travels between states.
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Trucks carrying hazardous materials such as bulk explosives, radioactive chemicals, or poisonous gases in excess of 3,500 gallons must carry a minimum of $5,000,000 in liability insurance in case of trucking accidents.
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Passenger trucks transporting fewer than 16 people must carry $1.5 million in liability insurance. Otherwise, a $5 million policy is required. This applies only to interstate travel. School buses, commuter vehicles, and some taxi cabs are exempt from this law.
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Carriers can purchase surety bonds instead of insurance policies. However, the amount of coverage must be the same. In some cases, the tractor and trailer are considered separate vehicles, owned and maintained by different companies. In these cases, the amount of available coverage is doubled.
You need a skilled truck accident lawyer
Sorting out the intricacies of an insurance policy can feel overwhelming and is best left to a qualified truck accident lawyer. If you or a loved has been involved in any trucking accidents in Memphis, Knoxville, or Nashville, Tennessee, contact the truck accident attorneys at Gilreath & Associates. You can reach us at (866) 935-8156 or through our convenient online contact form to arrange a free initial consultation.
