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Highway Accident Fairness Act of 2021
12/30/2022, 3:04 AM
Summary of Bill HR 6151
The fund will be financed through a small fee imposed on highway users, such as drivers and trucking companies. This fee will be collected by the Department of Transportation and deposited into the fund, which will be administered by a newly created Highway Accident Compensation Board.
The board will be responsible for determining eligibility for compensation, as well as the amount of compensation to be awarded to each eligible individual or family. The board will also have the authority to investigate highway accidents and determine liability in cases where negligence or misconduct is suspected. Overall, the Highway Accident Fairness Act of 2021 aims to provide a safety net for individuals and families who have been impacted by highway accidents, ensuring that they receive the financial support they need to recover and move forward.
Congressional Summary of HR 6151
Highway Accident Fairness Act of 2021
This bill makes staging a collision with a commercial motor vehicle a federal crime and modifies legal procedures for suits arising from commercial motor vehicle accidents.
A person who operates a motor vehicle and intentionally collides with a commercial motor vehicle (or arranges for another person to cause such a collision) is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 20 years, or both. If the collision results in serious bodily injury or death, the prison term may not be less than 20 years.
With respect to legal procedures, the bill (1) requires a plaintiff in a suit concerning a bodily injury or death that involves one or more commercial motor vehicles to disclose the identity of any third party who is financing the litigation in exchange for a portion of the plaintiff's recovery, and (2) grants federal courts jurisdiction over such actions in cases where damages exceed $5 million.
