When Ohio truck accidents occur, victims must understand how rules called Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) affect their case. FMCSRs make truck accident claims very different than typical car accident claims and victims need to know the implications for proving their case and recovering compensation.
How FMCSRs Can Affect Your Truck Accident Case
One of the most important ways federal rules affect truck accident cases is by setting minimum insurance requirements for trucking companies. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require trucks have $750,000 minimum in liability coverage under most circumstances. FMCSR 387.9 also mandates higher levels of liability coverage under certain circumstances. For example, in a situation where a truck is transporting hazardous material, the minimum liability coverage could be as high as $5 million.
When there is more insurance coverage available, there is more money available to potentially pay out a truck accident settlement or to fully compensate a truck crash victim who has been hurt. Victims need to be aware of these minimum liability coverages when negotiating a settlement so they will not settle for a lower amount of money than they actually deserve. The fact trucking companies are required to carry insurance policies with such high limits also makes it important for crash victims to determine if they can sue the trucking company as well as the truck driver. Usually, a truck accident victim can pursue a case against the trucker’s employer because the trucker acts as the company’s agent while on duty.
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