Dec 22, 2023
AAJ Applauds Bill to Help Victims Killed and Injured in Truck Crashes
Washington, DC – Today, the American Association for Justice applauded the introduction of the Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act, led by Representatives Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-Ill.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.).
The bill would ensure greater accountability to those injured or killed in truck crashes and strengthen the Motor Carrier Act of 1980, a law meant to protect public safety by requiring insurance minimums to be updated regularly on pace with inflation. An insurance increase has never occurred.
"America was listening to cassette tapes and watching Knight Rider the last time minimums were updated – we’re long-overdue to require trucking companies to carry insurance levels appropriate for 2023 and not 1980," said AAJ President Sean Domnick. "Inadequate insurance minimums leave thousands of crash victims financially stranded and without the resources to pay medical bills or restore their quality of life after a crash. In many cases, the burden of health care costs are passed down to taxpayers, with Medicare and Medicaid shouldering millions of dollars in care each year thanks to inadequately insured carriers."
In 2014, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a report to Congress that examined the adequacy of the current financial responsibility requirements for motor carriers. The conclusion was clear: today, the costs of injuries and fatalities arising from crashes far exceed the minimum insurance levels interstate operators are required to carry.
Current insurance limits do not adequately cover crashes, primarily because of increased medical costs. The Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act would require the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to tie the minimum insurance floor, currently $750,000 as set in 1980, to the rate of inflation of medical care as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, every five years.
CONTACT Carly Moore Sfregola Email: Carly.Sfregola@justice.org Phone: 202.684.9609
The American Association for Justice is a nonprofit association of lawyers who represent the interests of plaintiffs. The AAJ advocates for fair access to the civil court system. The AAJ strives to promote a fair and effective justice system and support attorneys in their efforts to ensure that persons injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice. Attorneys represent those in personal injury cases and other civil matters.
