Across the country and locally in Nashville, there is important news about car accidents. First, in 2020, deaths caused by car accidents rose 7.2% despite the fact that most Americans were driving less due to the pandemic. Second, in local news, Metro Police will no longer respond to some traffic accidents. Read on for more information on both of these issues and what you should do if you are in a car accident in Metro Nashville. Continue reading
As we start to put the pandemic in our rearview mirror, travel for the holiday weekend is expected to be 60% greater than last year. According to AAA, 37 million Americans are expected to make a road trip for the holiday, and Nashville is the fifth most popular destination behind only Las Vegas, Orlando, Myrtle Beach and Denver. So whether you are staying home in Middle Tennessee or going somewhere to enjoy the holiday weekend, you can expect the roads in and around Nashville to be busy. Here are top 10 tips for staying safe and sane. Continue reading
For public and private schools in Middle Tennessee, only a few weeks of the school year remain. At our house, Kate Day can’t wait for summer because it means she will spend two weeks at her happy place – summer camp in the mountains of North Carolina. Whether you are just considering a summer camp for your child or if you have already booked one, we have some legal advice for you and some important questions that are never too late to ask. Continue reading
To understand the breadth of the current problem, let’s first look at 2020. Despite fewer people being on the road due to the pandemic, 2020 saw an 8% increase in motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, motorcycles and buses). That 8% increase was the highest year-to-year jump in 96 years. But, it gets worse. In Tennessee, fatal accidents are up by an astonishing 21.5% for the first quarter of 2021. 356 fatal accidents have occurred on Tennessee roadways so far this year. At this time last year, there were only 209 according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. For more information on where these wrecks are happening and what age groups and types of vehicles are most involved, read on. Continue reading
At this point, I wonder if anyone really does not know that distracted driving is dangerous. The media has covered it, public service announcements have been done, police departments have increased enforcement, our State legislature has passed stricter laws about it. Yet, distracted driving continues to be on the rise. For some of us, we just can’t seem to give driving our full time and attention despite knowing the dangers. In fact, according to one study, Tennesseans are the worst in the nation when it comes to distracted driving with distracted driving in our State being five times the national average. Read on for more stats and what you can do to protect yourself from distracted driving. Continue reading
In a press conference earlier this week, the cause of Tiger Woods’ single car accident on February 23, 2021 was announced by police. The culprit: speed. As part of their investigation, police accessed the black box data or EDR data from Woods’ car and discovered Tiger Woods was driving 84 to 87 mph when he lost control of the vehicle. The speed limit was 45. Almost everyone has heard about black box data, but read on if you want to learn what data these devices record, how the data is extracted and the role EDRs can be play in car and truck accidents that result in injury or death. Continue reading
Earlier this week, President Biden’s dog, Major Biden, got court-martialed and sent back home to Delaware after a “biting incident” with a Secret Service member at the White House. While the news reports indicate that Major got surprised and “reacted in a way that resulted in a minor injury to an individual.” The White House spokesperson explained the Bidens’ two German Shepherds were still getting acclimated to the White House and all the new people in their lives. And while that may be true and understandable, this biting incident highlights a number of issues surrounding dog bites and dog attacks and responsibility of dog owners. Continue reading
Middle Tennessee schools and many colleges are poised for spring break. As a result of the pandemic, more families are opting to drive to their destination this year. Even those that are not planning on taking a trip should be prepared to share the roads with those that are. Are you and your car ready? Do you know the most important things you can do to avoid being in a car accident?
Researchers at two Florida universities found that there are significantly more fatal accidents in the month of March at top vacation spots like Florida, California and Arizona. Of course, one of the first factors that comes to mind is drunk driving by college-aged students. To be sure, drinking and driving is dangerous but that is just one of many factors that leads to the increase in spring break car accidents. So, let’s review some of the steps you can take to reduce the chances that you are involved in a car accident:
A recent New York Times article discussed how the health care industry was attempting to teach medical professionals the art of “radical listening”. What is radical listening? And why is it so important especially for professionals like doctors and lawyers. Continue reading
Let’s face it, the pandemic is leaving an indelible mark on almost everything, so there is no reason to believe jury awards in injury and death cases will be any different. Jury and trial consulting firms have been conducting surveys since the inception of the pandemic and they have some theories on how the pandemic will affect the amount of jury awards, how it will impact medical malpractice cases and whether it will generally be better for the defendant or the injury victim.
Tennessee Injury Law Center