Category: Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

After a three-vehicle car accident on May 9 in Tennessee, one person died and five other people sustained injuries. A 77-year-old male passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt when the accident happened, died. The injured parties included a 48-year-old man, a 33-year-old woman, a 1-year-old girl, and 4-month-old twin boys.

Officials believe that the driver may have been drinking or using drugs before the car accident, which contributed to the wreck. One of the passengers was also thought to have been impaired. They asked for blood samples to be taken from both individuals to determine if either one showed alcohol or drugs in their system.

The driver of a truck apparently did not sustain injuries in the accident. A van pulled in front of the truck and then hit a sedan. The van flipped before it finally landed on its roof. Investigators remained on site into the evening to determine what happened.

A bystander who was working near the accident scene reported that she heard the collision. She observed children being taken away from the scene and also heard emergency personnel as they attempted to remove someone from a vehicle. She complimented the quick response time of those who responded to the accident.

After a fatal motor-vehicle accident, the loved ones of the person who was killed could want to hold the responsible parties accountable. A personal injury lawyer might be able to help clients file a lawsuit so they can receive proper compensation. In addition, the injured parties could require surgery, lengthy hospital stays, therapy, counseling, prescription medications and other related expenses. A lawyer might review the costs associated with the accident and help the injured recover the finances associated with the accident.

Source: DNJ, “Double Springs crash victims identified“, Mark Bell, May 09, 2013

On April 14, four vehicles were street racing in Tennessee, and three of the vehicles were involved in a collision. According to police, the vehicles involved in the street race were three Ford Mustangs and a Honda Civic. One red Mustang was traveling at a speed of approximately 75 miles per hour when it struck the driver’s side door of the Honda. This Mustang also struck the left front side of an orange Mustang. A fourth vehicle fled the scene.

The driver of the Honda Civic was a 20-year-old male, and he was killed in the car accident. The drivers of both the red and orange Mustangs suffered from non-critical injuries and received care in a local hospital. They were both charged with drag racing, reckless driving and vehicular homicide. Police are looking into the details of the crash and have indicated that the fourth car involved was a gray Mustang.

When a driver causes damage while operating a vehicle, that driver is financially responsible for those damages. In this incident, the actions of the various Mustang drivers resulted in the loss of one life and as well as property damage to the vehicles. The victims of the accident or their families could file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible parties to seek punitive damages for funeral expenses, car repair costs, medical bills and lost wages.

A car accident such as this one could cause victims and their families to suffer financially due to the various expenses related to the accident. By filing a personal injury lawsuit against the person responsible for the accident, victims and their families could receive compensation for their expenses. A Knoxville personal injury lawyer could provide additional information about a victim’s legal rights after an accident.

Source: WMC TV, “20-year-old killed in street race,” Lauren Squires, April 14, 2013

An accident in Lawrenceburg on March 17 involving a motorcycle and several cars resulted in two fatalities and several injuries. The car accident occurred around 5:30 p.m. near David Crockett State Park east of Ezell Drive.

According to authorities, a motorcycle with a rider and passenger that had stopped or slowed with the flow of eastbound traffic on Highway 64 was struck from behind by a SUV. The force of the crash sent both vehicles into the westbound lane, where they collided head-on with another vehicle. 

The passengers on the motorcycle, a 66-year-old man and his 62-year-old wife, were killed. The driver of the SUV, a 35-year-old woman also from Lawrenceburg, was transported to Vanderbilt Hospital via helicopter. Two people in the third vehicle, a 18-year-old women and a 21-year-old man, were transported to Crockett Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The accident is still under investigation.

The families of those who were killed or injured may be preoccupied with making final arrangements or monitoring the condition of their loved ones in addition to dealing with grief or other intense emotions. However, eventually, the families involved will want to know how and why the accident occurred, if not just for the sake of closure, but to determine if the accident could have been prevented. In accidents where negligence is involved, impacted families have the right to seek compensation for expenses and mental anguish. An experienced personal injury attorney can assist those who have suffered losses with understanding the legal process and help them receive compensation for medical expenses and other costs.

Source: WDXE, “The investigation continues into that deadly traffic accident Sunday,” March 18, 2013

Source: WHNT 19, “Husband and Wife Killed On Motorcycle In Lawrenceburg, TN,” Claire Aiello, March 18, 2013 

Newly signed Tennessee Titan Delanie Walker lost his aunt and uncle in a drunk driving accident shortly after Super Bowl XLVII. His aunt and uncle had attended a 49ers post-game party with him a few hours before the car accident occurred. The couple had pulled off of Louisiana’s Interstate 10 when their vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle.

Police said that the vehicle that struck the couple was traveling in excess of 100 mph. Upon the collision, both vehicles ignited in flames, and the couple was found dead inside after the fire was put out. The driver responsible for the car accident had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit of .08 percent. She has been charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless operation and two counts of vehicular homicide.

Mr. Walker stated that he was close to his aunt, and he wants to take steps to keep their memory alive in a positive way. He recently participated in a fundraising event for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and he plans to start a foundation to help support the couple’s eight children. The family of a wrongful death victim, such as in this case, could file a lawsuit against the driver responsible for the accident to seek punitive damages.

Those affected by a drunk driving-related car accident may be faced with expenses related to funeral costs, lost wages and medical bills, and a civil lawsuit may be filed against the driver to obtain financial compensation for these expenses. This is an option that may be pursued regardless of the outcome of criminal charges. Those who would like to learn more about this option may contact a personal injury lawyer.

Source: The Tennessean, “Tennessee Titans’ Delanie Walker motivated by tragedy,” Jim Wyatt, March 17, 2013

The son of a couple who died in a motorcycle accident last year is suing a tire manufacturer and the motorcycle retailer for wrongful death. This type of lawsuit can be brought by a family member of a victim who died as a result of negligence on the part of a third party. For cases involving car or motorcycle accidents, family members often investigate whether the vehicle may have had any latent defects that could have caused the accident.

This is just one example of how many factors may be at play when a motorcycle accident occurs. Many people assume that motorcycle riders are not careful or that biking is dangerous to begin with, but the truth is that accident happen all the time for various reasons not related to driver negligence.

In this case, one of the tires on the Harley-Davidson motorcycle that the couple was riding was faulty and eventually blew out while they were riding together. The lawsuit specifically alleges that a tube within one of the tires was not functioning properly, which was the cause of the blow out that resulted in the crash.

Tire accidents like the one in this case are more common than many people realize. There are various factors that can contribute to a tire blowout, and it is the job of the manufacturer to foresee those possible hazards and to adequately design a product to be safe for ordinary uses. The facts of this case do not indicate that the couple put an extraordinary amount of wear and tear on the tire, so an appropriately designed tire should have continued to function properly.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Tire maker sued in fatal cycle crash” March 5, 2013

More information about the rights of victims of motorcycle accidents can be found on our Knoxville personal injury site.

Earlier this week we discussed how some people in Tennessee and elsewhere incorrectly assume that young drivers are always at fault for accidents that they are involved in. This is not always the case, but some new figures from a respected organization shows that teen driver deaths are up.

According to the report, released by the Governors Highway Safety Association, deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers increased by 19 percent in the first half of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The deaths jumped from 202 to 240 during that period.

The sudden jump in fatal car accidents involving teen drivers is alarming. The increase in teen driver deaths outpaces the increase in total traffic deaths, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to NHTSA, an improving economy means more people are spending more time driving again, which means more accidents are likely to unfold.

Many have pointed to the use of graduated licensing programs in most states as the reason that teen driver fatalities had been declining in previous years. Under those programs, teens are gradually given more driving freedom through the years.

It should be noted, however, that despite the increase, driver deaths among 16 and 17-year-olds are still 50percent less than what they were 10 years ago, so it appears that over the long term the graduated license programs have had a positive effect. So it’s likely too early to tell what caused the increase, but it should be noted that teen drivers continue to be one of the more dangerous groups of drivers on the road. Continuous training and experience is needed.

Source: Los Angeles Times, “Teen driver fatalities grew last year, reversing downward trend,” Jerry Hirsch, Feb. 26, 2013

A recent accident in rural Tennessee outside of Knoxville shows the dangers of not respecting the right of way can have disastrous consequences. The tragic accident took the life of a 27-year-old woman and her 6-year-old daughter.

The accident happened in a small town called Etowah, which is about 60 miles southwest of Knoxville. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the woman turned her small Saturn onto U.S. Route 411 into the path of a construction truck. Initial reports indicated that two children perished in the fatal car accident.

The Saturn had three other passengers, a 28-year-old man, a 10-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy. Those three passengers had to be flown to a hospital in Knoxville, where their further conditions are unknown.

The 49-year-old truck driver was not injured in the accident. Police have not filed any charges. Presumably their investigation is ongoing, but it appears that the car pulled out in front of the truck on U.S. 411, meaning the Saturn driver was at fault. One could wonder whether the Saturn driver saw the truck, but the accident happened in the afternoon, meaning it was probably hard to not see the truck. One could understand if it was dark and the truck did not have its headlights on.

Many of the passengers in the car had the same last name as the driver, but the 8-year-old boy did not. If that child did not belong to the family, then the boy’s family may consider suing the other family for damages relating to the accident.

Source: WRCB, “McMinn County accident leaves mom and child dead,” Feb. 21, 2013

Our Knoxville readers who drive or ride in cars rightfully expect that the car manufacturer assembled a product that is safe to drive. And while driver error often plays a role in car accidents, cars are designed and marketed with certain safety features to keep vehicle occupants safer in a crash. One of the most important is the air bag. When it fails to deploy, it may be worth wondering if a manufacturer’s defect played a role.

One family, who lost a member in a fatal car accident, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against General Motors, the car dealership that sold the car and a parts supply company for the woman’s death.

According to the lawsuit, the woman was driving her 2003 Chevrolet in 2010 when her vehicle spun out of control, crashing into a ditch. The airbags in the car did not deploy. It is likely that GM will counter that the woman’s death was caused by the accident, but could she have survived if her car was working the way it was designed to?

The family originally filed the lawsuit in state court in the southern state where the accident took place, but recently re-filed the suit in U.S. District Court. It accuses the defendants of negligently designing, manufacturing and marketing the car.

Should everyone worry that a car that is in perfect working condition and is only seven years old not have working air bags? Car manufacturers cannot skimp when putting cars together. They have a responsibility to provide safe vehicles, and this lawsuit will help remind them of that.

Source: The Southeast Texas Record, “Wrongful death lawsuit filed against GM after car’s air bags failed to deploy,” Michelle Keahey, Jan. 13, 2013

This week is one celebrated by many across the world as Christmas Eve and Day were on Monday and Tuesday. Travel plans and road conditions were likely intensified by the mass rush to get home for the holidays and begin eating your favorite traditional food. As exciting as it is, it can often be the case that the dangers are raised with that excitement. Driving on the Tennessee roads proved to be a more dangerous action for an unfortunate few this week, who found themselves involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident on Monday.

There were reported to have been two cars involved, one carrying only a driver and another carrying the driver along with four passengers. Only one of those passengers was said to have been wearing a seatbelt – a child safety device that was reportedly not used appropriately.

The accident occurred due to the first car, a Chevrolet S-10, veering into the opposite lane of traffic, then striking the second car, a Buick LeSabre. The two drivers and one woman in the passenger seat of the Buick lost their lives and the three other passengers of the Buick were transported to a local hospital. Officials have stated that, had their seatbelts been used, a different outcome may have been possible.

Tennessee residents know the importance of seatbelts and the safety that they can provide, but it does sometimes take tragic stories such as this to remind us of all we can do. It’s important to teach our children about seatbelt usage and safe driving as much as it is that we perform both.

The families of those who lost their lives or who were injured are able to look into a wrongful death or personal injury claim. The added burden of losing an income along with a loved one is not one that goes unnoticed but during such difficult times it can help to work with an attorney who knows the field in order to be able to heal.

Source: knoxnews.com, “3 killed, 3 injured in Christmas Eve crash in Campbell County,” Dec. 25, 2012

Getting into a crash is probably one of the scariest things that can happen to someone on a day-to-day basis. Tennessee drivers may have heard of a recent crash on Alcoa Highway that happened last week. The aftermath of it includes one woman whose life was lost, and two others who suffered different levels of injuries. The kind of time and effort it can take to recover from such a devastating crash like this is often extensive.

The fatal motor vehicle accident occurred last week on Thursday, around 1:30 in the afternoon, one source explains. The details of the crash appear to be that there were two cars, one of which was attempting to turn left into a parking lot when they and another car, coming from the other way, collided. The report explains that the first car, a Chevrolet Cavalier, hadn’t yielded the right of way to the second car, a Cadillac Escalade, when the crash happened.

There were reported to have been two people in the Chevrolet – a driver and passenger, and just a driver in the Cadillac. The passenger of the Chevrolet lost her life and was found to have on the scene. The two other drivers were both taken to nearby medical facilities in order to treat their injuries, with the Chevrolet’s driver being in critical condition. Each person involved was reported to have had their seatbelts fastened and there was no mention of any influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident.

As senseless as it can seem, car accidents shake up people’s lives every day. To have been involved in one can be extremely difficult to get over, especially if the accident resulted in serious injuries or the death of a loved one. Tennessee residents who believe that their accident was the result of another driver’s negligence or endangering, working with an experienced attorney could help to receive some support as you begin to move forward from the accident.

Source: maryville.wbir.com, “Sevierville woman killed in Alcoa Hwy. wreck,” Dec. 7, 2012