Author: Anthony Proffitt

Two individuals were killed and one was seriously injured during an early morning wreck that happened on Interstate 40 East in Tennessee. According to authorities, the driver of a Dodge Neon stated that he pulled over on the shoulder of the interstate to rest, despite having four passengers inside. After the driver supposedly fell asleep, the car was struck by a van. A third vehicle was then unable to avoid striking the van.

Two of the passengers in the parked car were killed immediately, and a third passenger was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with serious injuries. The driver and fourth passenger were taken to the hospital with less severe injuries.

The driver of the parked Neon stated he was pulled all the way over on the shoulder of the interstate and had his flashers on. However, the other drivers involved in the accident stated the car was parked in the left lane of the interstate, and his flashers were not on. Authorities investigating the scene reported that their initial findings indicated the car was not parked on the shoulder.

Emergency personnel had to close the eastbound lanes, which resulted in cars sitting on the interstate for several hours while the accident scene was cleared. Many motorists were forced to take alternative routes to reach their destinations.

Negligent drivers who do not use care and caution while operating a vehicle may be responsible for those injured as a result of their reckless behavior. Injured parties may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and any other financial loss incurred due to the accident. Seeking legal advice may be beneficial in understanding all options available under the law.

Source: WKRN, “2 killed, 1 critically injured in crash on I-40 East,” March 26 2015

Tennessee residents might be interested in hearing about new research that was done on teenage driving behavior. According to the results of a study that was led by an assistant professor at Oregon State University, many teenagers engage in activities that are very distracting while they are behind the wheel. Among those that were surveyed, 27 percent admitted to sometimes changing their shoes and clothes while they drive. Other teens said that they change their contact lenses, do homework or apply makeup while driving.

The lead researcher in the study said that he was surprised by the number of teens who change their clothes while they drive. Though there have been successful campaigns to draw awareness to the dangers of texting while driving, he said that teens should be aware that other distractions can be just as risky. Activities like changing radio stations, configuring GPS settings and even eating can be very dangerous while driving.

The study found that about 40 percent of teens still regularly send and receive texts while they drive. As the number represents a decrease from the results of earlier studies, researchers say awareness campaigns seem to be working. Researchers also found that short drivers education courses were effective in making teens aware of the dangers of driving distractions.

A person who has been injured by a distracted driver has the right to file a personal injury complaint to seek financial compensation. An attorney can help a victim of a motor vehicle accident to build a strong claim against the at-fault driver. Evidence that may help to establish liability could include eyewitness testimony establishing that the driver was willingly engaged in negligent behavior that took away from concentrating on the road.

Source: NPR, “Teens Say They Change Clothes And Do Homework While Driving”, Maanvi Singh, March 18, 2015

Police say that a drunk driver may have been to blame for a crash that took place on March 11 at around 11:18 p.m. The crash occurred at the intersection of State Highway 297 and Little Elk Creek Road in Elk Valley. According to authorities, a Jeep being driven by a 33-year-old man tried to turn onto State Highway 297 while traveling south on Little Creek Road.

A Dodge Ram being driven by a 54-year-old man did not yield the right of way to the Jeep, and the two vehicles collided head on. Both drivers were injured in the crash while a 33-year-old was killed in the crash. It was not clear in which vehicle the crash victim was riding when the collision occurred. Police say that neither the injured drivers nor the deceased were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. Criminal charges are pending according to authorities.

Pedestrians, drivers or passengers who are hurt in a car accident may be able to obtain compensation from the driver who caused the crash. Furthermore, the families of those who are killed in a car accident may be able to collect compensation for their wrongful deaths. A personal injury lawyer may be able to take a look at the case and represent injured victims or the families of crash victims who are killed in car accidents.

Injured victims may be able to obtain compensation for lost wages and their medical bills. Long-term medical expenses may also be covered as part of a financial award. Families of deceased accident victims may recover money in the form of punitive damages as well as compensation for lost earnings due to wrongful death. A financial award may be won either in court or through a settlement out of court.

Source: WATE, “1 dead, 2 injured in Campbell County crash,” March 12, 2015

In Tennessee, one man is dead following a collision involving a pickup truck and a commercial delivery truck on March 6. According to media sources, the deadly crash took place in Lincoln County on Highway 50 near Louse Creek Road. At press time, it was not known if any charges are expected to be filed in the case. However, the preliminary report indicates that weather is not a factor.

The fatal wreck occurred at approximately 9 a.m. in the community of Mulberry when the two vehicles reportedly swerved to avoid each other. Investigators with the Tennessee Highway Patrol say that the semi ran over the top of the smaller pickup, killing its 46-year-old driver and injuring the driver of the commercial vehicle. According to authorities, the deceased driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident.

Details concerning the cause of this accident have not been released. However, Tennessee motorists who find themselves injured in a car accident may discover that insurance companies involved in the case may minimize losses, downplay claims for compensation and treat victims as adversaries even when another party is determined to be at-fault. Because it can be difficult to negotiate with insurance adjusters in the aftermath of an accident involving injury or death, those affected may find it beneficial to contact an attorney for help.

The attorney could examine the case evidence, establish liability and determine the total extent of the loss, which could include medical and rehabilitation costs, loss of wages, and pain and suffering. The attorney could also prepare a claim seeking financial compensation from the insurance companies on a client’s behalf and pursue damages in civil court in the event that insurers are unwilling to agree to a fair settlement.

Source: WHNT, “UPDATE: Pickup truck driver killed in wreck in Lincoln County,” Claire Aiello, March 6, 2015

High-speed car collisions occur daily in Tennessee and throughout the country. Many of those involved in these accidents become victims of blunt force trauma and internal bleeding. Severe internal bleeding can be fatal unless the victim gets immediate medical treatment or surgery.

Whenever people experience a blunt force trauma such as in a car crash, the impact may damage their blood vessels or organs, causing bleeding. The severity of the bleeding depends on the force of the impact. For example, accident victims ejected from a vehicle could suffer damage to their heart, liver, head, major blood vessels and around their lungs, which can produce serious internal bleeding. In other cases of blunt force trauma, victims may incur broken bones or simply deep bruising. Some blunt force trauma victims experience internal bleeding a few days or hours following the incident. In some cases, however, the bleeding stops on its own.

Victims of blunt force trauma can tell they are bleeding internally if they have certain symptoms that become worse. Some of those symptoms are ecchymosis, or patches of skin that turns deep purple or stomach swelling and pain. Headaches could signal bleeding of the brain, while fainting spells, dizziness or light-headedness might indicate that a person is internally losing large quantities of blood.

While many car accident victims die because of blunt force trauma, others may require surgery, long hospital stays and extensive therapy. Because severe blunt trauma is common among those involved in high-speed collisions, it may be possible for the injured party to recover damages if it can be shown that the accident was caused by the negligence of another driver. An attorney can examine police reports and other evidence to support a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of an injured client.

Source: WebMD, “Internal Bleeding Due to Trauma”, Amita Shroff, M.D., Sept. 9, 2013