Tennessee Injury Law Center
Summer is officially in full swing. And while it is the season for vacations and relaxing by the pool or lake, summer can also be a dangerous time. Here are 3 things you should know to make sure everyone enjoys a safe summer.
- Statistically, children are the most common victims of dog bites and, during the summer, children are outside running, playing, often being loud while enjoying their yards, parks and other public spaces. Experts agree that any breed of dog is capable of biting or attacking, so it is imperative that you adequately control your dog. Tennessee has a leash law, yet every week, our experienced lawyers are contacted for help following a dog bite or attack. Of course, Tennessee’s leash law does not just help prevent dog bites and attacks. A dog running loose can cause other types of accidents such as knocking a person down or causing a bicyclist to wreck. While some homeowner’s insurance covers dog bites and attacks, others do not because of a bully breed or other exclusions. So, you should know your personal assets are at risk if your dog hurts someone, so keep your dog on a leash and well-controlled.
- If you have a teenage driver, summer is a very dangerous time. You should know that the days between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day are considered the most dangerous for teen drivers who are free from school responsibilities and on the roads, often with a carload of friends. Discuss your expectations about driving behavior. Ensure that they know it is illegal to hold a cellphone and drive in the State of Tennessee. Talk to them about other distractions like eating, friends in the car, navigation systems, etc. Monitor their speed and driving with one of the assortment of apps available. Establish penalties for infractions and then enforce them if the rules are violated. Finally, model the driving behavior you expect from your teen driver. If you are driving and checking your phone, they are more likely to think such behavior is acceptable.
- If you are boating on a Tennessee lake or river (like Lincoln Day in the photo), you should know that you are financially responsible for any accidents involving your watercraft whether you were driving or not so do not entrust your boat or jet ski to someone who is underage, under the influence or inexperienced. In fact, individuals born after January 1, 1989 must successfully complete a boating safety exam before driving a boat or jet ski.
From the Law Offices of John Day, we hope that everyone has a safe and fun-filled summer. But, if you are injured because someone else was careless or failed to obey the law, we are here to help. We handle all accident cases on a contingency basis so we only get paid if we recover money for you and your family. We advance all case expenses so you are not out of pocket any money to pursue your legal rights, and unlike many injury attorneys, we never charge interest on case expenses. Our award-winnning lawyers offer a free, no-obligation consultation so you can get your questions answered and decide if we are the right lawyers for you. Give us a call.
Nashville: 615-669-3993
Murfreesboro: 615-867-9900
Brentwood: 615-742-4880
Toll-Free: 866-812-8787