Cleveland Truck Accident Lawyer Supports The Safe Haul Act
Interstate commerce is an integral part of our busy lives. Truck drivers spend countless hours on the road, because consumers and businesses alike rely on them to be efficient, effective, and safe.
Trucking is big business and as such, profit is of primary importance to trucking companies. Unfortunately trucking safety has taken a back seat to profit. In fact, more than 300,000 semi-trucks were involved in traffic accidents in the United States in 2012. These accidents resulted in more than 100,000 injuries and almost 4,000 deaths. Trucking accidents continued to rise at an alarming rate in 2013 and 2014.
Despite a steady increase in the number of accidents involving tractor-trailers, commercial motor vehicle s have surprisingly low minimum insurance coverage requirements.
In 1980, the minimum insurance coverage for commercial motor vehicles set by Federal Law was $750,000. Incredibly, the minimum insurance coverage requirement remains the same in 2014, 34 years later! Today, a whopping 42% of all U.S. truck accident settlements exceed the current federal insurance requirements.
Most truck drivers in the United States are grossly under-insured.
Since the vast majority of the motor carrier population maintains insurance coverage at the federal minimum, most truck drivers are grossly underinsured. When truck drivers have inadequate insurance coverage, or their employer does not provide them with adequate coverage, damages can be devastating. Following an accident, drivers are forced to go after their employers to cover damages, or they often have no choice but to file for bankruptcy to avoid paying damages.
As a result of inadequate insurance coverage, truck accident victims are often left with catastrophic injuries, sometimes unable to work, and without compensation.
That is why Matt Cartwright, a U.S. State Representative from Pennsylvania, has proposed the Safe Haul Act, which would increase the federal minimum insurance requirements to $4.4 million. The newly proposed minimum insurance requirement accounts for today’s costs/inflation.
I am a member of the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of American (APITLA), and it is our mission to reduce the number of traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths associated with trucking accidents. We work to “put the brakes on unsafe trucking companies” by working aggressively within the law through learning, legislation, and litigation.
As an avid member of APITLA, I want to ensure innocent drivers are protected from the danger of tractor-trailers. If you or your loved one were involved in a trucking accident, call me immediately at 1 (800) 556-4769. I will not only fight to protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve, I will continue to fight to change policy so innocent drivers can be protected.
As a highly experienced personal injury lawyer who has represented many truck injury victims, I fully support the increase of minimum insurance coverage requirements for commercial motor vehicles.
As your Ohio truck accident lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
For more than 34 years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny, has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio.” You can reach Tim by email at tmisny@misnylaw.com or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.
