Louisville Golf Cart Accident Lawyer

• Hit by a car on a road or at a crossing
• Rollovers on hills, sharp turns or wet grass
• Riders thrown out on a turn, especially children and passengers on the back
• Underage or untrained drivers
• Defects: brakes, steering, seat belts or lift kits that make a cart tip. See our product liability lawyer page.
• Poorly maintained course paths, blind curves and bridges
• Rental and resort carts with worn brakes or no safety briefing

Serious injuries are common: head injuries, broken bones, and crush injuries in rollovers. Off-road side-by-sides and ATVs are a different vehicle; see our ATV injury lawyer page.

Only where a local government allows it. Under KRS 189.286, a city or county may pass an ordinance "specifying each roadway that is open for golf cart use." Where it does:

• The cart needs a local permit and sticker, and an inspection by an inspector the county sheriff designates.
• It can run only on roads with a posted limit of 35 mph or less, and can't cross a road posted above 35 mph at an intersection.
• The driver must have a valid driver's license with them.
• The cart must display a slow-moving vehicle emblem and have safety equipment such as headlamps, turn signals, mirrors and seat belts.
• It must be insured "in compliance with KRS 304.39-080," with proof of insurance in the cart.
• The driver is subject to the Kentucky traffic laws in KRS Chapter 189.

Local governments can add stricter rules. Check your city or county's ordinance before driving a cart on any public street.

That depends on where the golf cart accident happened and who was at fault:

• A driver who hits a cart is responsible like in any car crash, and their liability coverage applies.
• The cart's driver or owner may be responsible for injuries to passengers or pedestrians. Their homeowner's or golf cart policy may cover it, depending on the policy.
• A golf course, resort or rental company may be responsible for unsafe paths, poorly maintained carts or letting an unfit driver take a cart. See our premises liability lawyer page.
• The manufacturer may be responsible for a defect.
• A parent or adult who let a child drive may share responsibility.

Kentucky's pure comparative fault rule (KRS 411.182) means you can still recover if you were partly at fault, reduced by your share.

It isn't settled. Kentucky's no-fault law defines a "motor vehicle" as a vehicle that transports people or property "upon the public highways" (KRS 304.39-020(7)), and the golf cart statute requires carts on designated roads to be insured, but neither says whether a cart is a motor vehicle for PIP. If a car hit you, PIP from that car's policy or your own may apply. On a course or private property, it may not. See how Kentucky PIP works and our auto insurance coverage guide.

If the at-fault driver had no insurance, your own uninsured motorist coverage may help. Have every policy read before you give up on coverage.

Kids often ride or drive carts in neighborhoods, camps and at family events. A child's injury claim usually has to be approved by a court before it settles. See our minor settlement guide.

We look at every possible source of coverage, inspect the cart before it's repaired, and get course or community records about paths and rules. We prepare cases for trial from the start. Larry Forman has tried 50+ jury trials and won 95% of them. Learn more about Larry Forman or see our case results (past results don't guarantee a similar outcome).