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Amount of Compensation for Victims of Truck Accidents May Depend of the Type of Motor Carrier Involved.

There is a key legal distinction between an interstate motor carrier and an intrastate motor carrier. An interstate motor carrier is generally defined as a trucking company that hauls goods or provides services across state lines. An intrastate trucking company is usually a company that only operates within the State of Georgia. This may include log trucks.

Interstate motor carriers are usually required to maintain at least $1,000,000.00 in liability coverage. These carriers are also subject to stringent requirements set by federal law. Intrastate motor carriers, however, are subject to state regulations but not all federal regulations related to safety and insurance coverage. Therefore, an intrastate carrier, under some circumstances, may not be required to carry more that $100,000 in liability coverage.

If you are victim of a trucking accident involving an intrastate motor carrier, it is very important that your attorney review your insurance coverage to see if additional funds are available for your severe injuries. Also, it is important to determine whether there are theories of liability available for the shipper, broker, or loading company involved in the case. Though important in all cases, this is particularly an area of concern in a case involving an intrastate motor carrier because the more parties who are assigned liability for the accident, the more compensation that is available to the victim.

When you or your loved one is a victim of a truck accident, you should not attempt to sort out these legal distinctions alone. You need a Georgia trucking accident attorney that is familiar with the differences between intrastate and interstate motor carriers as well as the insurance implications associated with these cases. At Ferguson & Paisley, we have handled cases for truck accident victims in cases involving both intrastate and interstate motor carriers and we stand ready to assist you with these cases 24/7.