Kentucky Personal Injury Laws: Deadlines to Sue, Fault Rules and Damage Caps
Kentucky injury rules: deadline to sue, medical malpractice and wrongful death time limits, comparative fault, damage caps, dog bites and auto insurance minimums.
Quick answers for Kentucky
- Deadline to sue for an injury
- In general, a lawsuit for an injury to the person must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrued. KRS 413.140(1)(a); KRS 304.39-230(6)
- Fault rule (comparative negligence)
- Kentucky uses comparative fault. In tort cases involving fault of more than one party, the jury (or judge) finds the total damages and the percentage of fault of each party, including the injured person, and the award is set according to those percentages. KRS 411.182
- Wrongful death deadline
- The wrongful death statute itself does not state a filing deadline. Kentucky's one-year limit for personal injury actions applies to actions listed in KRS 413.090 to 413.160, and when a person dies, the personal representative may sue within one year after being appointed (qualified); KRS 411.130; KRS 413.140(1)(a); KRS 413.180; KRS 304.39-230(6)
- Minimum car insurance
- Kentucky is a no-fault (choice) state. Required liability coverage is at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage (or a $60,000 single limit), plus basic reparation (personal injury protection) benefits of up to $10,000 per person. KRS 304.39-110, 304.39-020(2), 304.39-060
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Deadlines to file
| Deadline to sue for an injury | In general, a lawsuit for an injury to the person must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrued. For injuries from a motor vehicle accident covered by Kentucky's Motor Vehicle Reparations Act, a tort lawsuit may be filed within two years after the injury, the death, or the date of the last no-fault (basic or added reparation) benefit payment, whichever is later. Motor vehicle rule: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=45816 |
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| Deadline to sue for property damage | A lawsuit for taking, detaining or injuring personal property (for example, damage to a car) must be filed within two years from when the cause of action accrued. Source: KRS 413.125 |
| Medical malpractice deadline | A negligence or malpractice lawsuit against a physician, surgeon, dentist or licensed hospital must be filed within one year. The year starts when the injury is first discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, but the lawsuit must be filed no later than five years after the negligent act or omission. Source: KRS 413.140(1)(e), (2) |
| Wrongful death deadline | The wrongful death statute itself does not state a filing deadline. Kentucky's one-year limit for personal injury actions applies to actions listed in KRS 413.090 to 413.160, and when a person dies, the personal representative may sue within one year after being appointed (qualified); if more than a year passes between the death and the appointment, the representative is treated as appointed on the last day of that one-year period. For deaths from motor vehicle accidents, the Motor Vehicle Reparations Act allows a tort action within two years after the death or the last no-fault benefit payment, whichever is later. How these sections combine for wrongful death comes from Kentucky court decisions; confirm the exact deadline for a specific case. |
| Suing the government | Negligence claims against the state and its agencies go to the Board of Claims, which has exclusive jurisdiction. Claims must be filed with the board within one year after the claim accrues (for personal injury, from when the injury was or should have been discovered, but no later than two years after the negligent act; for medical malpractice, no later than three years). An award may not exceed $250,000 per claim, or $400,000 total for multiple claims from a single act of negligence. For lawsuits against a city over a defective street, sidewalk, bridge or other public way, written notice must be given to the mayor or city clerk within 90 days of the incident. Damages against local governments are reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to others; no separate dollar cap is stated. Filing deadline: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=51461 ; city notice: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=17766 |
Fault and damages
| Fault rule (comparative negligence) | Kentucky uses comparative fault. In tort cases involving fault of more than one party, the jury (or judge) finds the total damages and the percentage of fault of each party, including the injured person, and the award is set according to those percentages. The statute does not bar recovery when the injured person is partly at fault, which is generally described as pure comparative fault. Source: KRS 411.182 |
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| Damage caps | No. The Kentucky Constitution says the General Assembly has no power to limit the amount that can be recovered for injuries resulting in death or for injuries to person or property. Source: Ky. Const. § 54 |
| Medical malpractice caps | No. The constitutional ban on limiting the amount recovered for injury or death (Section 54) also applies to medical malpractice cases, and no statutory cap on malpractice damages was found. Source: Ky. Const. § 54 |
| Punitive damages | Allowed. The plaintiff must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with oppression, fraud or malice. An employer is liable for punitive damages for an employee's act only if it authorized, ratified or should have anticipated the conduct, and punitive damages are not available for breach of contract. In wrongful death cases, punitive damages may be recovered if the act was willful or the negligence gross. The jury considers factors such as the likelihood of serious harm, the defendant's awareness, profitability and duration of the misconduct. No statutory dollar cap. Source: KRS 411.184, 411.186, 411.130(1) |
Wrongful death
| Who can sue for wrongful death | The lawsuit must be brought by the personal representative of the person who died. After funeral expenses, administration costs and costs of recovery (including attorney fees), the money goes to family in this order: the surviving spouse alone if there are no children; half to the spouse and half to the children if there are both; the children if there is no spouse; the parents if there is no spouse or child; and otherwise into the estate for more distant relatives. Source: KRS 411.130 |
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| Wrongful death deadline | The wrongful death statute itself does not state a filing deadline. Kentucky's one-year limit for personal injury actions applies to actions listed in KRS 413.090 to 413.160, and when a person dies, the personal representative may sue within one year after being appointed (qualified); if more than a year passes between the death and the appointment, the representative is treated as appointed on the last day of that one-year period. For deaths from motor vehicle accidents, the Motor Vehicle Reparations Act allows a tort action within two years after the death or the last no-fault benefit payment, whichever is later. How these sections combine for wrongful death comes from Kentucky court decisions; confirm the exact deadline for a specific case. |
Car accidents and dog bites
| Reporting a crash to police | A driver in a crash on a Kentucky highway that causes a death, any personal injury (or a known or visible injury), or damage that leaves a vehicle inoperable must immediately notify a law enforcement officer or agency with jurisdiction (or a 911 public safety answering point), if physically able and if they have a working phone or other device. If the driver does not or cannot, the owner or any occupant must make the report. The officer then investigates and files a written report. After hitting an unattended vehicle or property, a driver may meet their duty by notifying the owner, leaving a written note, or filing a report with the local police department (KRS 189.580(2)). Law enforcement agencies send crash reports to the Kentucky State Police within 10 days after investigating (KRS 189.635(4)). Source: KRS 189.635(3); KRS 189.580(6) |
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| Crash report to the DMV | If no law enforcement officer investigates the crash, a driver in a crash on a Kentucky highway involving injury, death, or property damage over $500 must file a written report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days, on forms the department provides. These driver reports are confidential, but are available to the parties, their insurers, their lawyers and certain others. The two statutes word the dollar threshold slightly differently: KRS 189.635(5) says property damage 'exceeding' $500, while KRS 189.580(7) says total property damage of '$500 or more' (https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=6419). |
| Leaving the scene (hit and run) | A driver in a crash causing injury, death, or damage to an attended vehicle or property must immediately stop, find out the extent of the injury or damage, and give reasonable help, including arranging transport for medical treatment when needed. On request, the driver must give the vehicle's registration number and the names and addresses of the owner, occupants and driver (up to five names). On an interstate or parkway, if no one is killed or visibly injured and no hazardous materials are involved, the driver must move the vehicle off the roadway as soon as it is safe. For an unattended vehicle or property, the driver must stop and notify the owner, leave a written note, or report to local police. Violating the stop-and-help duty is punishable by a $20 to $2,000 fine and/or up to 1 year in jail, or a Class D felony if the crash involved death or serious physical injury and the driver knew or should have known it. Penalty section: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57417 |
| Minimum car insurance | Kentucky is a no-fault (choice) state. Required liability coverage is at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage (or a $60,000 single limit), plus basic reparation (personal injury protection) benefits of up to $10,000 per person. Drivers who accept the no-fault system may sue for pain and suffering only if medical expenses exceed $1,000 or the injury involves permanent disfigurement, a fracture, loss of a body member, permanent injury or loss of bodily function, or death. A person may reject the tort limitation in writing on a Department of Insurance form before an accident. No-fault threshold and rejection: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=30030 |
| Dog bites | Strict liability by statute: any owner whose dog is found to have caused damage to a person, livestock or other property is responsible for that damage. Source: KRS 258.235(4) |
Slip, trip and fall injuries
| Sidewalk falls: who is responsible | Before a city can be sued for an injury caused by a defect in a bridge, street, sidewalk, alley or other public way, the injured person must give written notice to the mayor, city clerk or clerk of the board of aldermen within 90 days of the incident. The notice must state the time and place of the injury, its character and circumstances, and that the person will claim damages from the city. KRS 411.110 sets this notice rule; it does not itself say whether the city or the owner of the property next to the sidewalk is responsible for the defect. Source: KRS 411.110 |
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| Claims against a city or county | Kentucky's Claims Against Local Governments Act covers tort suits against cities, counties, fiscal courts and special districts for injuries from defects in public property or from employees' acts. Damages against a local government may not exceed the injured person's total damages reduced by the percentage of fault the jury assigns to others, including the injured person; the Act sets no fixed dollar cap. For injuries from a defective bridge, street, sidewalk, alley or other public way, a written notice must be given to the city (mayor, city clerk or clerk of the board of aldermen) within 90 days. The Act also lists claims for which a local government is not liable, such as discretionary and legislative acts and failure to enforce a law or make an inspection. Damages rule: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=23368 ; claims disallowed: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=23369 ; 90-day notice: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=17766 . KRS 65.2001(2) keeps county governmental immunity in place. State-government claims are covered separately in the injury topic. |
| Injuries on land used for recreation | A landowner who lets people use land for recreation (such as hunting, fishing, swimming, hiking, bicycling or camping) without charging them owes no duty to keep the land safe for that use or to warn of dangers, and does not make the visitor an invitee or licensee. The protection does not apply to a willful or malicious failure to guard or warn against a dangerous condition, or when the owner charges a fee for entry for recreational use. Lease payments from the state for recreational land are not treated as a charge. Source: KRS 411.190 |
Motorcycle, pedestrian, bicycle, Uber/Lyft and truck crashes
| Motorcycle helmet law | Kentucky requires a protective helmet only for riders under 21 (operators and passengers, including sidecar riders), riders operating on a motorcycle instruction permit, and riders who have held a motorcycle license for less than one year. Other adult riders are not required to wear a helmet, but every operator must use approved eye protection. KRS 189.285 does not say that not wearing a helmet reduces damages in a lawsuit. Source: KRS 189.285(1), (3) |
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| Lane splitting | No Kentucky statute reviewed names lane splitting. The overtaking statute requires passing on the left, allows passing on the right only when the vehicle ahead is turning left or there is room for two or more lines of traffic in the same direction, and only when it can be done safely and not by driving off the roadway. On roads with three or more marked lanes in one direction, a driver must keep as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and may not leave it until the move can be made safely. Kentucky's statutes do not separately address riding between lanes of traffic; how KRS 189.340 applies to it is not stated in the statute. Source: KRS 189.340(1), (3), (4), (7)(a) |
| Pedestrian right-of-way | Where traffic signals are not in place or working, drivers must yield (slowing or stopping if needed) to a pedestrian crossing the roadway, and may not pass a vehicle stopped at a marked or unmarked crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross. A pedestrian crossing anywhere other than a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection must yield to vehicles, and within city limits pedestrians may not cross between adjacent signalized intersections except in a marked crosswalk. Pedestrians may not suddenly step into the path of a close vehicle, and drivers must still use due care to avoid hitting any pedestrian. Source: KRS 189.570(4), (5), (6), (9) |
| Bicycle laws | A driver passing a bicycle must move to the next lane if there is more than one lane in that direction; on a one-lane road the driver must leave at least 3 feet, or use reasonable caution if 3 feet is not available. Drivers may cross the center line, even in a no-passing zone, to pass a bicycle when the way is clear. Bicyclists may not ride more than two abreast in a single lane (except in a marked bike lane) and may not impede traffic when riding two abreast. Bicycle equipment and safe-operation standards are set by Transportation Cabinet regulation. KRS 189.287 (equipment regulations): https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=6363 . The sections cited do not set a bicycle helmet requirement or address riding on sidewalks. Source: KRS 189.340(2); KRS 189.287 |
| Uber and Lyft insurance | For Uber/Lyft-type (transportation network company) vehicles, insurance while the driver is logged in but has not accepted a ride (pre-trip acceptance) must be at least $50,000 for death and injury to one person, $100,000 per incident, and $25,000 for property damage. From ride acceptance through the ride (prearranged ride), the minimum is the same as for passenger vehicles in KRS 281.655(4): for vehicles with 7 regular seats, $100,000 per person, $300,000 total for injury or death, and $50,000 property damage. The policies may be issued by an eligible surplus lines insurer. KRS 281.655(4) lists $600,000 total for vehicles with 8 or more regular seats. The statute section read does not set uninsured/underinsured motorist amounts for TNC drivers. Source: KRS 281.655(4), (12) |
| Truck safety and insurance rules | Kentucky applies the federal motor carrier safety regulations, including driver qualifications (49 CFR 391), hours of service (49 CFR 395) and inspection, repair and maintenance (49 CFR 396), to commercial motor vehicles operating for hire or in private carriage, interstate or intrastate. Some farm vehicles are exempt under state law. Kentucky-certificated property carriers must carry at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 total liability ($600,000 total for trucks over 18,000 lbs.) plus $50,000 property damage; hazardous-material carriers need $1,000,000. Federal minimum insurance for interstate carriers is in 49 CFR 387.9. KRS 281.600: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=44152 ; KRS 281.655: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=55499 ; 49 CFR 387.9: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-387/subpart-A/section-387.9 |
Construction accidents
| Construction site injuries | Kentucky's workers' compensation law sets the general rule for construction injuries. An injured construction worker whose employer carries workers' compensation generally must take compensation in place of suing the employer, and a general contractor is treated as the employer of a subcontractor's workers for this purpose. The worker may also sue a third party (someone other than the employer) whose negligence caused the injury, but cannot collect from both, and must give timely notice of the suit to the employer. KRS 342.700: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=47624 . No absence claim is made about a scaffold statute; only the workers' compensation chapter was reviewed for this field. Source: KRS 342.690(1); KRS 342.700(1) |
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Personal Injury & Wrongful Death FAQ
What is the statute of limitations for personal injury in Kentucky?
In general, a lawsuit for an injury to the person must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrued. For injuries from a motor vehicle accident covered by Kentucky's Motor Vehicle Reparations Act, a tort lawsuit may be filed within two years after the injury, the death, or the date of the last no-fault (basic or added reparation) benefit payment, whichever is later.
How long do you have to sue for property damage in Kentucky?
A lawsuit for taking, detaining or injuring personal property (for example, damage to a car) must be filed within two years from when the cause of action accrued.
What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Kentucky?
A negligence or malpractice lawsuit against a physician, surgeon, dentist or licensed hospital must be filed within one year. The year starts when the injury is first discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, but the lawsuit must be filed no later than five years after the negligent act or omission.
How long do you have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Kentucky?
The wrongful death statute itself does not state a filing deadline. Kentucky's one-year limit for personal injury actions applies to actions listed in KRS 413.090 to 413.160, and when a person dies, the personal representative may sue within one year after being appointed (qualified); if more than a year passes between the death and the appointment, the representative is treated as appointed on the last day of that one-year period. For deaths from motor vehicle accidents, the Motor Vehicle Reparations Act allows a tort action within two years after the death or the last no-fault benefit payment, whichever is later.
Who can file a wrongful death lawsuit in Kentucky?
The lawsuit must be brought by the personal representative of the person who died. After funeral expenses, administration costs and costs of recovery (including attorney fees), the money goes to family in this order: the surviving spouse alone if there are no children; half to the spouse and half to the children if there are both; the children if there is no spouse; the parents if there is no spouse or child; and otherwise into the estate for more distant relatives.
Can you recover damages if you were partly at fault in Kentucky?
Kentucky uses comparative fault. In tort cases involving fault of more than one party, the jury (or judge) finds the total damages and the percentage of fault of each party, including the injured person, and the award is set according to those percentages. The statute does not bar recovery when the injured person is partly at fault, which is generally described as pure comparative fault.
Does Kentucky cap damages in personal injury cases?
No. The Kentucky Constitution says the General Assembly has no power to limit the amount that can be recovered for injuries resulting in death or for injuries to person or property.
Is there a cap on medical malpractice damages in Kentucky?
No. The constitutional ban on limiting the amount recovered for injury or death (Section 54) also applies to medical malpractice cases, and no statutory cap on malpractice damages was found.
When can you get punitive damages in Kentucky?
Allowed. The plaintiff must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with oppression, fraud or malice. An employer is liable for punitive damages for an employee's act only if it authorized, ratified or should have anticipated the conduct, and punitive damages are not available for breach of contract. In wrongful death cases, punitive damages may be recovered if the act was willful or the negligence gross. The jury considers factors such as the likelihood of serious harm, the defendant's awareness, profitability and duration of the misconduct. No statutory dollar cap.
How do you file an injury claim against the government in Kentucky?
Negligence claims against the state and its agencies go to the Board of Claims, which has exclusive jurisdiction. Claims must be filed with the board within one year after the claim accrues (for personal injury, from when the injury was or should have been discovered, but no later than two years after the negligent act; for medical malpractice, no later than three years). An award may not exceed $250,000 per claim, or $400,000 total for multiple claims from a single act of negligence. For lawsuits against a city over a defective street, sidewalk, bridge or other public way, written notice must be given to the mayor or city clerk within 90 days of the incident. Damages against local governments are reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to others; no separate dollar cap is stated.
Is a dog owner liable for a dog bite in Kentucky?
Strict liability by statute: any owner whose dog is found to have caused damage to a person, livestock or other property is responsible for that damage.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Kentucky?
Kentucky is a no-fault (choice) state. Required liability coverage is at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage (or a $60,000 single limit), plus basic reparation (personal injury protection) benefits of up to $10,000 per person. Drivers who accept the no-fault system may sue for pain and suffering only if medical expenses exceed $1,000 or the injury involves permanent disfigurement, a fracture, loss of a body member, permanent injury or loss of bodily function, or death. A person may reject the tort limitation in writing on a Department of Insurance form before an accident.
When do you have to report a car accident to the police in Kentucky?
A driver in a crash on a Kentucky highway that causes a death, any personal injury (or a known or visible injury), or damage that leaves a vehicle inoperable must immediately notify a law enforcement officer or agency with jurisdiction (or a 911 public safety answering point), if physically able and if they have a working phone or other device. If the driver does not or cannot, the owner or any occupant must make the report. The officer then investigates and files a written report.
Do you have to report a car accident to the DMV in Kentucky?
If no law enforcement officer investigates the crash, a driver in a crash on a Kentucky highway involving injury, death, or property damage over $500 must file a written report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days, on forms the department provides. These driver reports are confidential, but are available to the parties, their insurers, their lawyers and certain others.
What are your duties after a car accident in Kentucky?
A driver in a crash causing injury, death, or damage to an attended vehicle or property must immediately stop, find out the extent of the injury or damage, and give reasonable help, including arranging transport for medical treatment when needed. On request, the driver must give the vehicle's registration number and the names and addresses of the owner, occupants and driver (up to five names). On an interstate or parkway, if no one is killed or visibly injured and no hazardous materials are involved, the driver must move the vehicle off the roadway as soon as it is safe. For an unattended vehicle or property, the driver must stop and notify the owner, leave a written note, or report to local police. Violating the stop-and-help duty is punishable by a $20 to $2,000 fine and/or up to 1 year in jail, or a Class D felony if the crash involved death or serious physical injury and the driver knew or should have known it.
Who is liable if you trip and fall on a sidewalk in Kentucky?
Before a city can be sued for an injury caused by a defect in a bridge, street, sidewalk, alley or other public way, the injured person must give written notice to the mayor, city clerk or clerk of the board of aldermen within 90 days of the incident. The notice must state the time and place of the injury, its character and circumstances, and that the person will claim damages from the city. KRS 411.110 sets this notice rule; it does not itself say whether the city or the owner of the property next to the sidewalk is responsible for the defect.
How long do you have to file a claim against a city or county in Kentucky?
Kentucky's Claims Against Local Governments Act covers tort suits against cities, counties, fiscal courts and special districts for injuries from defects in public property or from employees' acts. Damages against a local government may not exceed the injured person's total damages reduced by the percentage of fault the jury assigns to others, including the injured person; the Act sets no fixed dollar cap. For injuries from a defective bridge, street, sidewalk, alley or other public way, a written notice must be given to the city (mayor, city clerk or clerk of the board of aldermen) within 90 days. The Act also lists claims for which a local government is not liable, such as discretionary and legislative acts and failure to enforce a law or make an inspection.
Is a landowner liable for injuries on land used for recreation in Kentucky?
A landowner who lets people use land for recreation (such as hunting, fishing, swimming, hiking, bicycling or camping) without charging them owes no duty to keep the land safe for that use or to warn of dangers, and does not make the visitor an invitee or licensee. The protection does not apply to a willful or malicious failure to guard or warn against a dangerous condition, or when the owner charges a fee for entry for recreational use. Lease payments from the state for recreational land are not treated as a charge.
Do you have to wear a motorcycle helmet in Kentucky?
Kentucky requires a protective helmet only for riders under 21 (operators and passengers, including sidecar riders), riders operating on a motorcycle instruction permit, and riders who have held a motorcycle license for less than one year. Other adult riders are not required to wear a helmet, but every operator must use approved eye protection. KRS 189.285 does not say that not wearing a helmet reduces damages in a lawsuit.
Is lane splitting legal in Kentucky?
No Kentucky statute reviewed names lane splitting. The overtaking statute requires passing on the left, allows passing on the right only when the vehicle ahead is turning left or there is room for two or more lines of traffic in the same direction, and only when it can be done safely and not by driving off the roadway. On roads with three or more marked lanes in one direction, a driver must keep as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and may not leave it until the move can be made safely.
Who has the right of way, a pedestrian or a driver, in Kentucky?
Where traffic signals are not in place or working, drivers must yield (slowing or stopping if needed) to a pedestrian crossing the roadway, and may not pass a vehicle stopped at a marked or unmarked crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross. A pedestrian crossing anywhere other than a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection must yield to vehicles, and within city limits pedestrians may not cross between adjacent signalized intersections except in a marked crosswalk. Pedestrians may not suddenly step into the path of a close vehicle, and drivers must still use due care to avoid hitting any pedestrian.
What are the bicycle laws in Kentucky?
A driver passing a bicycle must move to the next lane if there is more than one lane in that direction; on a one-lane road the driver must leave at least 3 feet, or use reasonable caution if 3 feet is not available. Drivers may cross the center line, even in a no-passing zone, to pass a bicycle when the way is clear. Bicyclists may not ride more than two abreast in a single lane (except in a marked bike lane) and may not impede traffic when riding two abreast. Bicycle equipment and safe-operation standards are set by Transportation Cabinet regulation.
What insurance must Uber and Lyft drivers have in Kentucky?
For Uber/Lyft-type (transportation network company) vehicles, insurance while the driver is logged in but has not accepted a ride (pre-trip acceptance) must be at least $50,000 for death and injury to one person, $100,000 per incident, and $25,000 for property damage. From ride acceptance through the ride (prearranged ride), the minimum is the same as for passenger vehicles in KRS 281.655(4): for vehicles with 7 regular seats, $100,000 per person, $300,000 total for injury or death, and $50,000 property damage. The policies may be issued by an eligible surplus lines insurer.
What safety and insurance rules apply to trucks in Kentucky?
Kentucky applies the federal motor carrier safety regulations, including driver qualifications (49 CFR 391), hours of service (49 CFR 395) and inspection, repair and maintenance (49 CFR 396), to commercial motor vehicles operating for hire or in private carriage, interstate or intrastate. Some farm vehicles are exempt under state law. Kentucky-certificated property carriers must carry at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 total liability ($600,000 total for trucks over 18,000 lbs.) plus $50,000 property damage; hazardous-material carriers need $1,000,000. Federal minimum insurance for interstate carriers is in 49 CFR 387.9.
Can you sue for a construction accident in Kentucky?
Kentucky's workers' compensation law sets the general rule for construction injuries. An injured construction worker whose employer carries workers' compensation generally must take compensation in place of suing the employer, and a general contractor is treated as the employer of a subcontractor's workers for this purpose. The worker may also sue a third party (someone other than the employer) whose negligence caused the injury, but cannot collect from both, and must give timely notice of the suit to the employer.
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