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Quick answer: Call 911, get medical care, photograph the scene, and get the Kentucky Uniform Police Traffic Collision Report. Kentucky is a choice no-fault state, so your PIP coverage pays initial medical bills. Talk to a lawyer before giving a recorded statement.
If another driver’s carelessness caused the car accident that injured you, Kentucky law gives you the right to pursue compensation. Every driver on Kentucky roads owes a duty of care: a legal obligation to drive safely, obey traffic laws and pay attention. When a driver breaks that duty and causes a crash, that driver, and usually the driver’s insurance company, can be held responsible for the harm. Car crash claims in Kentucky have an extra layer that most other injury claims don’t: the no-fault system. Your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage usually pays the first medical bills and lost wages no matter who caused the wreck. To recover for pain and suffering from the at-fault driver, your injury generally has to meet a legal threshold, explained below. Knowing which rules apply to you, and when you can step outside the no-fault system, is one of the most important early decisions in your case. Whether your crash happened on a downtown Louisville street, a suburban Jefferson County road, the Watterson or Gene Snyder, or a rural Kentucky highway, our car accident lawyers know how to build a case that holds up in this jurisdiction.Report the crash to your own insurer right away and ask for a PIP application. PIP is paid as your losses come in, not in one lump sum. Under KRS 304.39-210, a PIP payment is generally overdue if it isn’t paid within 30 days after the insurer receives reasonable proof of the loss. Overdue payments carry interest of 12% a year, or 18% if the delay had no reasonable foundation.
You can also tell your insurer how to spend your PIP, for example on lost wages first and medical bills later. This is called a PIP payment directive. It can change how much money you have during recovery and what is left for your doctors, so talk with a lawyer before you send one. PIP does not pay for pain and suffering or for damage to your car.
Most car accident victims don’t realize that the legal battle begins the moment the crash happens — not when they decide to hire a lawyer. Insurance companies for the at-fault driver dispatch adjusters and begin building their defense immediately. Recorded statements get taken. Vehicles get moved and repaired.
Traffic and business camera footage is often recorded over within days, and sometimes within hours. The black box data stored in both vehicles — capturing speed, braking input, and steering in the seconds before impact — can be lost or reset without a legal preservation demand. By the time most injured people think to call an attorney, some of the most powerful evidence in their case is already gone.
The steps you take in the hours and days after a crash directly determine the strength of your claim. Seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine — adrenaline masks pain, and serious conditions like traumatic brain injuries, herniated discs, and internal bleeding frequently don’t produce their full symptom picture until days later. A gap between the crash and your first medical visit is one of the first things an insurance adjuster will use to argue your injuries weren’t caused by the crash. Photograph everything at the scene — vehicle positions, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. Get witness names and contact information before anyone walks away.
What you should not do is provide a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney.
Adjusters are trained to ask questions designed to elicit answers that minimize your claim — and anything you say before you know the full extent of your injuries can be used against you permanently. Forman & Associates can issue immediate legal preservation demands to insurers, traffic camera operators, and city agencies requiring retention of all relevant footage and data. That step, taken in the first 24 to 48 hours, can keep critical evidence from disappearing.
Need a quick list? Use our what to do after a car accident in Louisville checklist, or print the free glovebox card (PDF).
The hours and days immediately following a car crash are the most critical period for your health and your legal case simultaneously. Many serious injuries — including traumatic brain injuries, herniated discs, soft tissue damage, and internal bleeding — do not produce their full symptom picture immediately. Adrenaline masks pain. The impact of certain injuries becomes apparent only days later. If you delay seeking medical treatment, the insurance company will argue that your injuries were not caused by the crash or were not as serious as you claim. That argument costs victims real money.
Insurance companies dispatch adjusters to begin building their version of events quickly. They pull the police report, photograph the vehicles, obtain recorded statements from their insured, and begin evaluating how to minimize exposure — all before most injured victims have even consulted an attorney. Simultaneously, critical evidence begins to disappear. Traffic camera footage is overwritten. Skid marks fade. Witnesses become harder to locate. The black box data from both vehicles — which captures speed, braking, and steering inputs in the seconds before impact — can be lost if a preservation demand is not issued promptly.
At Forman & Associates, we take immediate, parallel action on both fronts. While you focus on your medical recovery, our team is locking down evidence, issuing preservation demands, obtaining crash reports and camera footage, and retaining crash reconstruction experts where the facts require it. We communicate directly with the insurance companies so you do not have to. And we never advise a client to accept a settlement offer until we have built the full picture of what your case is actually worth — not what an adjuster decided it was worth before they finished reading your file.
One of the most common types of car crashes, and one that often causes more serious injuries than the vehicle damage suggests. Whiplash, herniated discs, concussions and shoulder injuries are common even in lower-speed impacts. Fault often turns on following distance, speed and distraction, which is why phone records and vehicle data matter.
Drivers who turn left across oncoming traffic without yielding cause some of the most violent collisions on the road. Several of the corridors on Louisville's official High Injury Network, including Dixie Highway, Preston Highway and Bardstown Road, are lined with busy signalized intersections and commercial driveways where these crashes happen. See who is at fault in a Kentucky intersection crash.
Side-impact crashes at intersections transfer tremendous force directly into the vehicle's passenger compartment, producing catastrophic injuries to occupants seated nearest the point of impact.
Among the most deadly crash types. Head-on collisions typically occur on two-lane roads, in construction zones, or when a driver crosses the center line due to impairment, distraction, or fatigue.
Kentucky law bans texting, emailing and instant messaging while driving (KRS 189.292) and restricts cell phone use by drivers under 18 (KRS 189.294). Kentucky does not currently have a general hands-free law for adult drivers. Proving distraction usually requires fast action to preserve phone records and vehicle data.
DUI-related crashes carry potential punitive damages exposure above and beyond compensatory damages. When an impaired driver injures you, the law allows for accountability that goes beyond simple negligence. If a bar or restaurant over-served the driver, it may also be responsible. See our drunk driver accident page, our dram shop page and our post on Kentucky SB 66 and drugged driving.
Kentucky’s minimum liability insurance is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage (or a $60,000 single limit) under KRS 304.39-110. Those minimums often don’t come close to covering a serious injury.
If the driver who hit you had no insurance, or fled the scene, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may pay. If the driver had too little insurance, your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may make up some or all of the difference. We look for every policy that may apply: the at-fault driver’s, your own, household policies, and any employer or commercial coverage. Learn more about underinsured motorist claims, UM vs. UIM coverage in Kentucky and what to do after a hit-and-run.
After most Louisville crashes you deal with at least two insurers. Your own company pays PIP and may owe uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits. The at-fault driver’s liability insurer pays for pain and suffering and the rest of your losses. They want different things from you.
Dealing with a specific company? See our Kentucky insurance company guides for State Farm, Progressive, GEICO, Kentucky Farm Bureau and Allstate.
Kentucky’s Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act requires insurers to attempt in good faith to make prompt, fair and equitable settlements once liability has become reasonably clear (KRS 304.12-230). When an insurer stalls or lowballs a clear claim, see our insurance bad faith lawyer page.
No lawyer can promise a particular result. The value of a car accident claim depends on the injuries, the evidence and the insurance available.
Insurance companies settle cases differently depending on who is representing you. When they know your attorney is Larry Forman, who has won 95% of the jury trials he has tried, the conversation about what your claim is worth changes immediately.
Larry Forman has tried 50+ jury trials and won 95% of them. That track record is known in Kentucky legal circles — and it changes how the other side negotiates.
From the moment we take your case, we issue preservation demands for traffic camera footage, black box data, cell phone records, and witness information — before the evidence that proves your case is gone.
Kentucky's no-fault system, the tort threshold, the 2026 PIP changes, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and bad faith insurance practices are not abstract ideas to our team. They are what we work with every day for injured clients.
We identify every source of liability and every available insurance policy — the at-fault driver, their carrier, your own UM/UIM coverage, and any commercial policies if applicable — to maximize every avenue of recovery.
You pay nothing out of pocket. Our firm advances all costs, and we only collect if we secure a recovery on your behalf. Zero financial risk to you.
Larry Forman is one of the most-watched legal voices online. He knows how to tell your story — in front of a jury, a judge, or a national audience.
Over $5,000,000 recovered for injured people.
Past results do not guarantee, predict or warrant a similar outcome in any future case. Each case depends on its own facts and the law.
From The Forman Building at 1139 South Fourth Street in Louisville, we represent people hurt in car accidents throughout Jefferson County, including Downtown, the Highlands, St. Matthews, Jeffersontown, Shively, Okolona, Fern Creek, Middletown, Valley Station and the South End. As a Kentucky car accident lawyer, Larry Forman also represents people hurt in car and auto accidents across the state, including in Lexington, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Northern Kentucky.
If a truck, delivery van, bus, Uber or Lyft was involved, different insurance rules and federal regulations may apply. See our truck wreck, rideshare injury, motorcycle wreck and bicycle accident, pedestrian accident pages.
Call 911 and remain at the scene. Seek medical attention even if you believe your injuries are minor — many serious conditions are not immediately apparent. Photograph the scene, all vehicles involved, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Obtain the other driver's insurance and contact information. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses. Do not apologize or admit fault to anyone at the scene — including the other driver and the responding officer. Then contact Forman & Associates before speaking with any insurance adjuster.
For most car accident injury claims against an at-fault driver, you have two years from the date of the injury, or from the date of the last PIP (basic or added reparation) payment, whichever is later (KRS 304.39-230(6)). Claims involving a government vehicle, a death or a minor, and claims for PIP benefits themselves, can have different deadlines. Evidence disappears much sooner. Camera footage can be recorded over within days, and vehicle data can be lost when a car is repaired. Don't wait to talk to a lawyer.
Kentucky is a no-fault state, which means your own Personal Injury Protection coverage pays your initial medical expenses and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault, generally up to $10,000 unless you bought added coverage. However, once your injuries meet the legal threshold to step outside the no-fault system, you can bring a direct claim against the at-fault driver for full compensation. Understanding when and how to make that transition is critical and is one of the first things we assess in every case.
Politely decline to provide a recorded statement and do not agree to any settlement. The other driver's insurance adjuster works for the carrier — not for you. Their job is to minimize the payout, and a recorded statement made before you know the full extent of your injuries can be used to permanently reduce your recovery. Tell them you are represented by counsel and have them contact our office directly.
Yes. Kentucky follows a pure comparative fault system, which means you can recover compensation even if you were partially responsible for the crash — your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found 20% at fault and your damages total $300,000, you would recover $240,000. Insurance companies aggressively inflate your share of fault to reduce their exposure. Our firm fights that allocation with evidence — not just arguments.
Absolutely. Passengers injured in car crashes have strong claims against the at-fault driver regardless of which vehicle they were riding in. If the driver of the vehicle you were in was at fault, you can bring a claim against them. If another driver caused the crash, you bring a claim against that driver. In some cases, both drivers share fault and both are liable. Being a passenger does not complicate your claim — in many ways it simplifies it, because your own driving conduct is not at issue.
Yes. Forman & Associates represents car crash victims throughout Kentucky and handles cases nationally. Whether your crash occurred in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Eastern Kentucky, or anywhere else in the Commonwealth, we are available to review your case at no cost. Contact us for a free consultation regardless of where the crash happened.
Not every fender-bender needs a lawyer. If you were injured, missed work, or the insurance company is disputing fault or the value of your claim, a Louisville car accident lawyer can protect your rights and your deadlines and deal with the insurers for you. The consultation is free. More answers are in our personal injury FAQ.
In most cases your own PIP coverage pays first, generally up to $10,000 for medical expenses, lost wages and certain other losses, no matter who caused the crash. After that, your health insurance, the at-fault driver's liability insurance, and your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply. In some cases, letting health insurance pay first can increase what you keep; see how health insurance paying first can increase your net recovery.
Yes, if your injury meets the threshold in KRS 304.39-060: medical expenses over $1,000, or a fracture, permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, loss of a body member, permanent loss of bodily function, or death. Different rules apply if you rejected no-fault coverage.
Possibly. House Bill 627's PIP changes apply to policies issued or renewed on or after July 15, 2026. They raise the weekly lost-wage limit from $200 to $500 and limit medical charges to the workers' compensation fee schedule. The $10,000 basic limit did not change. Your policy's renewal date, not your accident date, decides which rules apply.
Your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may pay for your injuries. If the driver had too little insurance, your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may help. Report a hit-and-run to police right away and notify your insurer promptly.
Crashes handled by Louisville Metro Police can usually be requested through LMPD's online report portal using the report number, crash date and a driver's or owner's last name. Crashes handled by Kentucky State Police are requested through KSP. If the report has errors, there are steps to request a correction.
We work on a contingency fee of 30% for car accident cases resolved before a lawsuit is filed, and there's no attorney fee unless we recover money for you. The consultation is free.
Usually not. TRIMARC's cameras show live views of Louisville-area interstates, but TRIMARC says it does not record those feeds. Video of a crash more often comes from dashcams, the vehicles involved, nearby businesses or other cameras, and much of that footage is recorded over within days. That's why we send preservation requests as soon as we're hired.
Most are filed in Jefferson Circuit Court at the Jefferson County Judicial Center, 700 W. Jefferson Street, which handles civil cases over $5,000. Claims of $5,000 or less go to Jefferson District Court, and some cases against out-of-state drivers or companies end up in federal court in Louisville. Most car accident claims settle without a trial, but we prepare every case to be tried.
There is no average that fits your case. Value depends on your medical bills and future care, lost income, how long the injuries last, the evidence on fault, and how much insurance is available, including your own underinsured motorist coverage. Kentucky’s comparative fault rule reduces the total by any share of fault assigned to you. We don’t put a number on a claim until we know how your recovery is going. See what drives the value of an injury case.
It can try. In Kentucky, not wearing a seat belt is not negligence by itself (KRS 189.125(5)). The insurer has to show that the missing belt was a substantial factor in causing or worsening your injuries. If a jury agrees, your damages are reduced by the share of fault it assigns to you, not wiped out. The other driver is still responsible for their share.
In Kentucky, PIP benefits are generally overdue if they aren’t paid within 30 days after the insurer receives reasonable proof of the loss. Overdue benefits carry interest of 12% a year, or 18% if the delay had no reasonable foundation (KRS 304.39-210). A court can also award a reasonable attorney’s fee when the denial or delay had no reasonable foundation (KRS 304.39-220). Keep copies of everything you send.
If you may have an underinsured motorist claim, yes. Kentucky requires written notice of the proposed settlement, sent by certified or registered mail, to every underinsured motorist insurer that covers you. The insurer has 30 days to consent, or to pay you the settlement amount itself if it wants to keep its right to pursue the other driver (KRS 304.39-320). Settling without that notice can put your UIM claim at risk.
PIP doesn’t cover vehicle damage. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance usually pays for repairs or the car’s value; Kentucky’s minimum is $25,000 in property damage coverage unless the driver carries a single combined limit. You can also use your own collision coverage, if you have it, and let your insurer seek repayment. The property claim is separate from your injury claim, so read any release before you sign it. See our property damage claim guide.
Many claims resolve some months after treatment ends, because no one can value a claim until doctors know how you will recover. Cases that go into suit in Jefferson Circuit Court often take a year or more. We won’t rush a settlement before your injuries are understood, and we prepare every case as if it will be tried. Your filing deadline keeps running while you treat, so talk to a lawyer early.
Car crash claims move fast — and so does the evidence that wins them. A free consultation with Forman & Associates costs you nothing and could be the difference between a lowball settlement and the full compensation you deserve.
Talk to a Louisville car accident attorney today. Call 502-931-6788 or 1-844-77-4-HURT, or send us your information through the form for a free review of your car accident claim.
