Kentucky car accident settlement calculator

Kentucky filing deadlines

Car accidents: Motor Vehicle Reparations Act gives 2 years from the injury, the death, or the last PIP (basic or added reparation) payment, whichever is later; this applies to injury and death claims arising from motor vehicle accidents. Other personal injury claims: 1 year (KRS 413.140(1)(a), current version effective July 15, 2026, still 1 year). Vehicle property damage: 'within two (2) years from the time the cause of action accrued' (KRS 413.125). Non-motor-vehicle wrongful death: personal representative must sue within 1 year after qualification (KRS 413.180).

If you were partly at fault

Kentucky follows pure comparative negligence. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can recover something even if you were mostly to blame.

• With $100,000 in damages and 30% of the fault, you would recover $70,000.
• With 55% of the fault, you would recover $45,000.

Kentucky adopted pure comparative fault in Hilen v. Hays (1984); KRS 411.182 codifies the allocation of fault in all tort actions with no percentage bar, so a claimant's recovery is reduced by his or her share of fault at any level.

Source: KRS 411.182; Hilen v. Hays, 673 S.W.2d 713 (Ky. 1984). Compare all states in the comparative negligence table.

Choice no-fault state

Your own personal injury protection pays your medical bills and lost wages first, with a required minimum of $10,000. The threshold to claim pain and suffering from the at-fault driver: Unless the person rejected the tort limitation in writing, suit for pain and suffering is allowed only if medical expense benefits exceed $1,000, or the injury involves permanent disfigurement, a bone fracture, loss of a body member, permanent injury, permanent loss of bodily function, or death. Which rules apply depends on the option chosen on the policy.

Choice no-fault: KRS 304.39-060 lets a person reject the partial abolition of tort liability in writing, keeping full tort rights. KRS 304.39-020: 'The maximum amount of basic reparation benefits payable... shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000)'.

Minimum car insurance in Kentucky

$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is optional or can be rejected in writing.

Many drivers carry only the minimum, so the bodily injury limit is often the most the at-fault driver's insurer will pay one person. Alternative: single limit of not less than $60,000. UM (KRS 304.20-020) must be included in the policy but 'any named insured shall have the right to reject in writing such coverage', so it is not mandatory.

Damage caps

Kentucky does not cap pain and suffering in ordinary car accident cases.

Dog bite law

Strict liability statute. Covers any damage caused by the dog (not limited to bites). No statutory exceptions are listed; Kentucky courts allow the victim's comparative fault to reduce damages. 'Owner' is broadly defined in KRS 258.095 (includes harboring or permitting the dog to remain on premises).

Source: KRS 258.235(4). Estimate a claim with the dog bite calculator.