The recent train derailment in Quebec, Canada caused me to investigate how many train accidents we have had recently in Tennessee. In the first four months of 2013, there have been twelve incidents involving trains in Tennessee. Seven of those incidents involved derailments, the largest of which occurred…
Operators of buses, known in the industry as motorcoaches, place their riders at risk of serious injury or death if they operate the vehicles with tires that are overloaded or are overly worn or damaged. Also at risk are other motorists and pedestrians if the motorcoach experiences a tire failure…
Tennessee law provides that the negligent operator of a boat is responsible for injuries or deaths caused by the operator’s conduct. The boat owner is also held responsible for the acts of the operator if the operator had permission of the owner to use the boat and if the boat…
The horrible train derailment in Quebec, Canada resulted in the deaths of as many as fifty people and untold property damage. The Canadian authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident, but several things seem to stand out. First, the 72-car train was parked and unattended at the time…
Federal law limits the amount of time that over-the-road truck drivers can operate a truck. Effective July 1, 2013, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the United States Department of Transportation changed the hours of service rules in an effort to reduce driver fatigue and deadly accidents involving…
On July 8, 2013 the first of four back-to-back transvaginal mesh trials begins in a federal courtroom in West Virginia. The results of these trials have implications for Tennessee women who have been injured by transvaginal mesh products inserted in them for pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. What…
We receive calls almost every day from people who have been in a Tennessee car, motorcycle or truck accident and are unable to get medical treatment because they do not have health insurance. Many doctors refuse to see accident victims unless they have health insurance or are willing to pay…
While on opposite ends of the music spectrum, Chely Wright and Rihanna were in tune on some good advice: shut up and drive. While the dangers of texting and driving are well known, drivers still do it. So, the automakers are now rolling out vehicles that allow a driver to…
Sexual abuse of a child is not only a crime that can (and should) result in criminal charges against the abuser. It is also wrongful conduct that makes the abuser liable for damages in a civil lawsuit. Civil wrongs are called "torts." There are lots of categories of torts,…
Tennessee law permits the recovery of funeral and burial expenses as part of the damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. The case law is unclear about whether there is any limit on the amount of funeral and burial expenses that may be recoverable. Presumably, the law permits only the recovery…