Automobile Accidents

January 10, 2011

Why Do I Need Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage?

I live in Tennessee and I understand state law requires that everyone who owns a car or truck have liability insurance coverage on the vehicle. Why should I spend money to purchase uninsured motorist insurance coverage if everyone already has liabilty insurance?

Because (a) some people don’t follow the law; (b) some people buy liability insurance coverage but do not purchase an amount that will protect you from losses you sustain in a car or truck wreck; and (c) you may get hit by a hit-and-run driver (and unisured motorist coverage gives you some protection in such cases).

Despite the law that mandates insurance coverage, 20% of the people in Tennessee have no insurance on their vehicle. That means that 1/5th of the people you meet on the highway have virtually no way of meeting their financial obligation to you if they cause an accident and you are hurt. You need uninsured motorist coverage to protect you from that risk.

January 4, 2011

Can A Parent Sue Another Parent For Injuring Their Child

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

My former spouse was driving our child to school, ran a red light, and was in a wreck. Our child was seriously injured. Can I help my son file a lawsuit against his father to collect money for the injuries received in the wreck?

Yes, under Tennessee law a child can sue a parent for injuries that arise out of an auto wreck. You, as a parent, would have to file suit on behalf of your son because a minor cannot bring a lawsuit on his own behalf. (Alternatively, the court could appoint a guardian to file suit on behalf of your son.)

The problem is that most auto liability insurance policies in Tennessee do not provide insurance coverage for injuries caused to family members. Thus, if you and your son can prove that his dad caused the wreck you would have to collect any judgment you receive out of the father’s assets and future income.

December 20, 2010

I Hurt My Back. Should I Go to A Chiropractor?

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

I was hurt in a car accident. I received a broken arm and a back injury. The arm is now fine but my back still hurts. My friend has recommended that I go to her chiropractor for treatment. Should I?

Tough question. Have you had any treatment by an orthopedic surgeon? Have you ever seen a chiropractor before? Indeed, have you discussed this with your family doctor?

I believe in chiropractic treatment but many insurance companies and juries discount it severely in Middle Tennessee. To the extent that you want to make a claim and have the other driver’s insurance company pay for your treatment you may wish to pursue conventional medicine first and see if that helps you.

December 14, 2010

How Much Liability Insurance Should I Have on My Vehicle?

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

How much liability insurance coverage should I have on my vehicle?

Answer: The amount of coverage you should have should depend on your assets and on your ability to pay. You must have at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident. Most people who have a household income over $50,000 per year should have $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident. If your household income exceeds $100,000 per year, you should have even more insurance, such as $250,000 per person, $500,000 per accident or even more. Ask your agent to quote you the rate on several different liability insurance policy limits – you will be surprised to see how inexpensive the “extra” insurance coverage is.

People who have significant assets should have high liability insurance limits and should also have an “umbrella” or “excess” insurance policy to give them even more protection from if they make a mistake and harm another person. Many wealthy individuals (people with a net worth of over $300,000 or an income of over $150,000 per year) have several million dollars worth of liability insurance.

December 9, 2010

How Do You Determine Who Is At Fault in A Wreck?

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

I was in an intersection wreck. I say it was the other guy’s fault. He says it was my fault. Who decides who was at fault?

If a lawsuit is filed a jury usually decides who is at fault (unless a jury is not requested by either party to the case, in which event a judge decides). The jury will listen to your side of the story, the other driver’s side of the story, the testimony of any witness, and review any physical evidence at the scene. Sometimes expert witnesses are hired to explain what happened.

At the end of the day the jury considers all of the evidence, hears the law explained by the judge and uses common sense to decide who probably caused the wreck. Under our system of justice, the person who files a lawsuit only needs to prove that more likely than not the other driver caused the wreck. If the person who files the case is unable to prove that the other driver more likely than not caused the wreck the case will be lost.

December 4, 2010

Can I Tell From How Much Insurance Someone Has By Knowing What Type of Car They Have?

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

I was in a car wreck and was hurt bad. The other driver was driving a new car. I have been talking with the insurance company for the other driver. I asked how much insurance was on the car and the insurance adjuster would not tell me. I guess the other driver has lots of insurance because she was driving a new car, right?

Maybe. There is no way to know for sure how much insurance someone has just by looking at the type of car they are driving. It is reasonable to assume that a person who has a new car has enough money to purchase a responsible amount of liability insurance, but some people spend all of their money on their car and buy the minimum insurance they are required to have in Tennessee – $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident.

Because Tennessee has no formal way of insisting that insurance companies reveal how much insurance coverage they have until after a judgment is obtained, I often look at the type of car, the at-fault driver’s home, the at-fault driver’s job and other factors to make an educated guess about how much insurance is available. Sometimes my guess is right, sometimes my guess is wrong. At the end of the day, however, if my client has a case that is worth more than the offer the insurance company has given and has represented that no more insurance is available, I insist (with my client’s permission) that the insurance company prove that the at-fault driver has no more insurance applicable to the claim. The is accomplished by requiring a copy of the declarations page for the insurance policy and an affidavit from the insured stating that no additional insurance is available.

November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving Day Car and Truck Wrecks

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

Be especially careful when you drive this holiday weekend. People will be rushing from house to house to participate in Thanksgiving activities and all too many of them will be under the influence of alcohol. The cars will be filled with children, which increases the likelihood that the driver of the car can be distracted.

Have safe travels during this Thanksgiving holiday.

November 18, 2010

I Was Hit By A Police Car!

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

I was driving to work in Franklin, Tennessee. A police car driven by an officer who was on-duty ran a red light and hit my car. I had to go to the hospital in an ambulance and spent three days in the hospital. Can I sue the police officer?

No, you cannot sue the police officer. Tennessee law does not permit you to sue a government employee who negligently caused an automobile wreck while he or she was on-duty.

However, you can sue the governmental entity that employed the police officer, and it is responsible for the harm caused by the police officer if he or she is found to be negligent. There are special laws that limit the liability of governmental entities that cause harm to their citizens in automobile wrecks and other types of personal injury cases, but an experienced personal injury lawyer can guide you through this process.

November 12, 2010

Can I Require the Insurance Company to Pay Interest on My Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Settlement?

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

I was hurt in a car wreck six months ago. It wasn’t my fault. I have been waiting for over a year for the case to settle. I lost three months of wages and have had to pay some medical bills that were not covered by my health insurance. Can I get the insurance company to pay interest on my settlement? It doesn’t seem fair that they can delay my settlement and not have to pay interest.

Not under Tennessee law. Tennessee law does not permit the recovery of interest in personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits.

The only exception to this rule is if you win a case and a judgment is entered by the court you are permitted to recover interest. Interest accrues at the rate of 10% per year on the amount of the judgment that is unpaid.

November 5, 2010

Bankruptcy and Filing of Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Claims

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

I was hurt in a car wreck six months ago. I lost my job and my medical bills are enormous. I am behind on my mortgage and have been unable to make my car payments. Should I file bankruptcy, get my financial house in order, and then file a lawsuit against the trucking company? I want to be able to get rid of all this debt and be able to keep whatever money I recover in the lawsuit to meet my needs for the rest of my life.

There is a major problem with your plan. When you file for bankruptcy you are asked to answer questions under oath about your assets and liabilities. One of the questions you will be asked is whether you have any claims against another person or entity. Thus, you will have to tell the Bankruptcy Court that you have a claim pending against the driver of the other car. This is true even though you have not filed a lawsuit – you still are considered to have a claim pending that must be disclosed to the Court.

When you tell the Bankruptcy Court that you have a claim pending that fact will be taken into account in determining whether you are a candidate for bankruptcy and what amount should be paid to your creditors. As I explained in a prior post, you will also lose significant control over the progression of your case.