Categories
Car Accidents

Costly post-accident injuries and situations

If you find yourself struggling with insurance companies after an accident, you are not alone. Insurance companies will try to limit their monetary losses even if it may come at a cost to you.  In this post, we will discuss the costs that you may face after your accident and why you may benefit from seeking compensation.

You may deal with expensive injuries after being involved in a car accident. Physical injuries will require medical care, but mental and emotional strain may require therapy, which can also be pricey. Injuries that may occur after an accident can include:

  •          Muscle or nerve damage
  •          Internal bleeding or organ damage
  •          Broken bones or skin lesions
  •          Spinal or brain damage

If you are suffering from any of these, you will likely need to go to the hospital. You may even need therapy or post-hospital medical treatment in order to aid your recovery. Treatments and hospital stays can be pricy, and it is possible to struggle with payments even if you have insurance. This is particularly true if your injuries have caused you to miss work or take an extended leave. With no income, bills can seem difficult to manage. For these reasons, you may find it beneficial to fight for compensation, which can give you the monetary cushion that you need to power through these tough times.

If you would like to read more about getting the most money from insurance companies after an accident, you can visit our web page on handling the aftermath of car accidents.

Categories
Car Accidents

Handling a hit and run scenario

Being involved in a hit and run accident can be a traumatizing event. Because of that, many people are not aware of how to handle these types of accidents, especially if they are the victim in the equation. However, handling a hit and run quickly and efficiently is very important.

A person who has been caught up in a hit and run incident can find themselves upset, confused or injured. According to the Department of Motorized Vehicles, this can make it harder for them to handle the scenario well. However, they suggest that a driver or pedestrian involved in a hit and run accident keep their wits about them and collect as much information as possible. Information to collect includes the make, plate number and model of the other car involved. The more information, the better. They also suggest taking pictures of the scene, of the car or cars involved, and writing down when and where the crash happened.

Hit and runs are illegal and the consequences that someone can face if they attempt to flee the scene can be vast. The Evening Standard states that not only are here heavy penalties and fines for those who hit someone and run, but that insurance coverage could be dropped, among other things. Additionally, the victim of a hit and run could take the perpetrator to court and get a fair some of money for insurance and potential medical expenses.

In the end, a hit and run is bad for everyone involved. It is best for a driver to stick around if they hit anyone, even if it is just a parked car. Likewise, it is best for any potential victims to make sure their case is well documented.

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

What is a civil claim?

If a person has been involved in a drunk driving accident before, they may be wondering how they will be able to get compensation. Money is necessary in order to fix damaged vehicles, pay for hospital bills, medications, potential therapy and missed time at work, but how does one pay for it?

This is where civil lawsuit, otherwise known as a civil claim, can come in handy. According to The United States Courts, this is a general term that is used to describe a situation in which one party takes another to court in order to hold the second party accountable for any potential damages that have been done. In the case of a drunk driving accident, this would mean that the driver who was hit would be able to take the drunk driver to court in order to gain compensation for what occurred because they were under the influence.

Successful civil lawsuits can mean a world of relief for the person or party that filed for the suit. Compensation will only be paid by the responsible party if the civil lawsuit is successful. This is why there is such a huge emphasis on the importance of having a strong legal team when going in to a civil lawsuit. Victory could mean having all financial problems taken care of by the responsible party, whereas a loss could mean the victim party has to pay for the damages on their own.

These are all good things to keep in mind if anyone ever gets into an accident due to the actions or inactions of a drunk driver.

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

Additional danger comes in form of unreported DUI convicts

A problem is surfacing in Tennessee when it comes to official reports about DUIS. Any drunk driving accidents in the state are meant to be reported, but that is turning out to not be the case, much to the detriment of everyone.

It was recently reported that some of the most rural and poor counties in the state of Tennessee are not properly filing their DUI reports. In fact, out of the 95 counties in the state, 19 of them have not filed their reports properly. This is a relatively large number, prompting some officials to state that they might need to instate a system of incentives or consequences for the lack of reporting. Some have speculated that the lack of funds or staffing is what’s causing this absence of reports.

However, the lack of reports has a bad effect on everyone else. If an officer does not report a DUI crime to either the FBI’s National Crime Information Center or to the central crime reporting system of the state, that DUI will remain unrecorded. This will mean that if someone gets arrested for a DUI in another county, their previous record will not show up. This flaw in the system was discovered after one man was charged with multiple first-time DUIs despite the fact that he was on his fifth DUI by the time he was discovered

This additional and unnecessary danger can be a big problem to other drivers on the road, as well as making the job of police officers more difficult. For this reason, the missing counties are now under heavier scrutiny, along with any drivers from them who have been marked with a DUI charge.

Source: KFVS12, “18 TN counties fail to report DUI data to crime database,” Andy Wise, Sep 22, 2015

 

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Finding who is at fault in a fatal car crash

Losing a loved one can be a difficult thing to deal with on many levels. This is especially true if they are lost due to the negligence or mistake of another party, as is often times the case in a fatal motor vehicle accident.

What can you do if a loved one has passed away in a motor vehicle accident? There are many options that you can pursue, but if you wish to obtain justice for your loved one as well as legal compensation for the difficulties you and your loved one’s family have faced, you may wish to look into pursuing legal action. This is especially true if it is a potential wrongful death case.

A wrongful death case is a case that occurs because of the neglect, inattentiveness or mistakes of another party. This can include other drivers sleeping at the wheel, manufacturing deficiencies in a vehicle that cause an accident, drivers who are drunk or under the influence and other such accidents. If your loved one has been a victim of an accident like this, you may be able to get compensation. This can help you to cover for any medical expenses or funeral expenses for your loved one, as well as allow you to continue supporting your family if that is also an issue.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a traumatic experience, but fortunately, you do not have to worry about going through the process alone or having no way to get compensation for it.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

How can you safely share the roads?

Driving is an exercise of cooperation, where one must be prepared to pay attention to other people while they are simultaneously paying attention to their own driving and situation. It is therefore important to learn the concept of sharing the road.

One important thing is for other, larger vehicles to remain aware of the fact that they should be sharing the road with smaller vehicles, including motorcyclists. According to the Traffic Safety Marketing administration, motorcyclists face a number of dangers that other drivers don’t face due to the small size of their mode of transportation and the fact that it is not as well protected as a fully covered car, truck or van. Sharing the road means that drivers should be mindful and alert while on the road with motorcycles.

The aim of “sharing the road” is to try raising awareness that the road is a place where all drivers must keep an eye out for each other. This is not only for self-protective safety reasons, but it is also to help other drivers, including motorcyclists, remain safe while they are riding. Sharing the road can include:

  •          Keeping an eye out for motorcyclists who are riding between lanes
  •          Making sure not to turn suddenly and checking both ways thoroughly
  •          Giving motorcyclists a wide enough berth on the road

By doing these things, the chances of an accident happening could be decreased, which is good for everyone involved. The additional safety measures could help keep all drivers just a little less likely to be involved in an accident.

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

In the weeks following a fatal accident

If your loved one has been involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident, you may not know what to do next. It is a life-changing event that could shake the foundation of your life. Here at Pryor Priest & Harbor, we understand that this is a difficult time and wish to help you through it.

Though dealing with legal matters may be quite far from your mind at a time like this, it is important to understand that you might need the legal compensation in order to fortify your family structure at this crucial time. If the loved one that has passed contributed to the household income, you will need to fill the gap that they will leave. If the accident was caused by negligence, you will be able to legally pursue it as a wrongful death case. This means that another party can be held responsible for the death of your loved one.

Not only can this help you pay for any potential medical bills, insurance, or other lost expenses, but it may also give you peace of mind. In some cases, such as lethal accidents involving DUI charges, you may also be able to take a menace off of the roads. This could prevent further fatal accidents in the future, making the roads a safer place to be for everyone.

While it is difficult to move forward at this time, that is perhaps one of the most important things that you can do. For more information on dealing with the aftermath of a fatal vehicular accident, please visit our web page.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

The benefits and drawbacks of motorcycles

You may be one of many people recently deciding to switch from cars to motorcycles. You may be a long time rider with a lot of experience on the road already. In any situation, it is wise to understand both the benefits and drawbacks of choosing a motorcycle over other methods of transportation.

The benefits of motorcycles are growing in recent years. Not only are they smaller and easier to care for, but you may also be tempted by the lower gas prices. Cars will certainly cost you more money to fuel than a motorcycle will. Additionally, you may be aware of the fact that motorcycle safety has improved a lot over the years. While there is unfortunately no real way to protect a motorcyclist from every threat due to the fact that the riders are not enclosed, improvements to motorcycles and to roadway habits have lowered the number of fatal accidents.

On the other hand, you should also be aware of the downsides of motorcycles. For one, it can be difficult to use them frequently if you live in an area that does not have good weather. For example, driving a motorcycle in the snow or rain is very difficult or unpleasant. You also face the increased chance of having serious injuries from an accident. This is due to the fact that you are mostly exposed while on a motorcycle. You may face injuries such as road rash, broken bones, and traumatic injury to the brain or spinal column. Accidents are often a factor that put some people off of biking.

If you would like to learn more about the potential injuries you may face when on your motorcycle, please visit the given link. You will be able to read more about the subject on our web site.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

Common causes of motorcycle accidents

Motorcycle accidents can be more fatal than car accidents for a number of reasons. The primary reason is because motorcyclists simply don’t have as much protection as drivers in covered vehicles do. Because of this, it is important for motorcyclists to know what their risks are and how to combat them.

First of all, certain types of motorcycle accidents are more common than others. As stated by the California Bikers Organization, upwards of 56% of fatal motor vehicle accidents are caused by head-on collisions. It is also noted that motorcycles are only struck from the rear in about 5% of accidents, making that risk a much smaller one, comparatively. Other common causes for accidents can include driving while under the influence or speeding. Running into road obstacles can also be dangerous to motorcyclists. Obstacles can include potholes, uneven heights between lanes, dead animals or bad pavement

Additionally, lane splitting and left hand turns make up a large percentage of accidents. 42% of motorcycle accidents involve cars making left hand turns. Lane splitting is the act of driving between two lanes when traffic is stopped. While there are safe ways to do this, doing it unsafely can cause accidents.

As for motorcycle accident prevention, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that the best method of preventing accidents is to keep one’s wits about them. Unfortunately motorcyclists will always be at more risk in an accident between a motorcycle and a car, so they must watch out for themselves.

Being aware of the types of common accidents motorcyclists get into can help others be aware of their own driving patterns, which can therefore save someone from further accidents.

 

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

How many fatal car crashes happen in Tennessee?

If you have lost a loved one in an unnecessary to the accident due to the negligence of someone else, you know pain and suffering that is unmeasurable. Too many Knoxville residents have had to experience such grief. An automobile accident is a common cause of these tragic situations and whether caused by a drunk driver, a fatigued truck driver or a driver otherwise unaware or reckless, the impact of the wrongful death lingers on.

A look at statistics collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives an overview of how extensive the problem of fatal accidents really is in Tennessee. In 2013, 995 people died in a fatal car crash of some sort statewide. Of those, 60 died in Knox County. Further data suggests that every person in Tennessee can face the risk of these acccidents as follows:

  • Motorcyclists represented 137 of the state’s deaths and five of the county’s deaths.
  • Pedestrians represented 80 of the state’s deaths and four of the county’s deaths.
  • Bicyclists represented eight of the state’s deaths and one of the county’s deaths.
  • Large trucks were involved in 126 state fatalities and six county fatalities.

Alcohol and speeding were noted as factors in several of the crashes. Statewide, 277 lives were lost at the hands of drunk drivers and 236 deaths were impacted by speeding. In Knox County, drunk drivers claimed 16 lives and speeders another nine.

Knoxville residents interested in learning more about wrongful death cases can visit our website. Nothing can bring back a deceased family member but understanding options for compensation may be one way of processing such a loss.