Hit & Run Fatality

What kind of person, what deeply flawed kind of person would hit a pedestrian with a motor vehicle and then flee the scene leaving the pedestrian to die alone in the gutter? For my way of thinking I can’t print what I think about them.

As an experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyer I read about a number of different types of Hit & Run cases. Drivers hit pedestrians, other car, trucks, some hit ditches, and they all leave the scene.

I look forward to the time that Memphis police capture the Hit & Run driver that killed a pedestrian near Germantown Parkway and Walnut Grove tonight. Thankfully a witness saw the collision and called it in to police. Police found a 38-year-old man dead at the scene. This where citizens come in, someone somewhere will have information to share with police and what they do with this information will define them.

Most H&R drivers are under the influence of alcohol, others have already run afoul of the law and have lost their driving privileges, yet they continue to get behind the wheel and ignore the rules. Many H&R drivers are trying to avoid detection because they don’t have insurance and they don’t want to face the responsibility for their actions.

If you or a loved one are injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a drunken Hit & Run driver, contact the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates.

Share the Road

Crashes involving bicycles and automobiles have slowly risen over the past five years in both Nashville and Tennessee, as more and more people pedal for business or recreation. There are long standing tensions between bicyclists and vehicle drivers, with Bicyclist demanding their share of the road and drivers becoming impatient and wanted them off the road. The only way to stem the tide of incidents is education and enforcement.

Education for drivers that bicyclists have rights and they must be properly accorded and training and education for the bikers. Many Bike riders complain that police who investigate Tennessee bicycle/car accidents are far too quick to blame accidents on the bike riders. Police need training and to make sure that such a bias doesn’t color their investigation.

Automobile drivers are asked to share the road but the gate swings both ways. Bicyclists have responsibilities for their own safety in equal measures. A Washington County, Tennessee bike rider was riding in the middle of Highway 36 near Orchard Lane in Boones Creek at 10 PM Tuesday. His bicycle did not have lights or reflectors, nor did he have reflective clothing.

He was run over by a vehicle that failed to stop and render assistance and then moments later he was run over by another vehicle. Another car ran over the bicycle. Police a re looking for the Hit & Run driver.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee bicycle/car accident contact the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillp Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies.

Photo thanks to the AAA Foundation For Highway Safety

The other day I wrote on these pages about a 28-year-old Tullahoma woman who was hit by a pickup truck that subsequently left the scene of the accident. In that Blog I suggested that the driver was probably drunk, had lost his/her license for drunk driving related charges in the past, or had no insurance.

Local news media reported today that police arrested the driver and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident and driving on a revoked license. Other charges are pending.

This is a problem that is becoming increasingly acute, drivers who violate the law, lose their licenses and then take to the roads again, ignoring, or thumbing their nose at the law and the safety of others.

Despite improvements in US laws, it still is difficult to detect and arrest alcohol-impaired drivers once they are driving. The estimated chance of arrest when driving with an illegal BAC is less than 1 in 50. A preferable strategy would be to identify impaired drivers before they start the vehicle and prevent them from driving.

There is technology available to accomplish this, and today almost all states have laws that restrict some people convicted of DWI from driving unless their vehicles have been equipped with alcohol ignition interlocks.

These devices have a breath-testing unit that is connected to the vehicle ignition. To start the vehicle, the offender must blow into the device and register a blood alcohol reading below a predetermined level, typically set well below a BAC of 0.08%, the per se threshold for DWI in all states. Ignition interlock restrictions have been shown to be effective at reducing recidivism among repeat offenders, at least while the restriction is in place.

Until recently, laws requiring convicted DWI offenders to install interlocks pertained to repeat offenders or to first offenders with very high BACs (typically 0.15% or higher). However, as of September 2009, 12 states have expanded the interlock requirement to apply to all offenders, including first-time offenders. These states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

In Tennessee the legislature, passed a law requiring all those convicted of DUI to  use the interlock device on their vehicle. The act also prohibits them from driving vehicle without the devices.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drunk driver and you hope to recover all of the damages the law allows you need to consult with an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney like those at Phillip Miller & Associates. We offer a free consultation so that you can gain the information you will need to face this odyssey through the legal system.

Hit & Run Victim Dies

For readers of my Blog you know how I feel about Hit & Run drivers. For those of you who are not familiar with “The Tennessee Auto Accident Attorney” Blog I’ll say it again. As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer, Hit & Run drivers are, in my consideration, the worst kind of human being.

Most H&R drivers are under the influence of alcohol, others have already run afoul of the law and have lost their driving privileges, yet they continue to get behind the wheel and ignore the rules. Many H&R drivers are trying to avoid detection because they don’t have insurance and they don’t want to face the responsibility for their actions. No matter which category they fall into they are the very worst type of person, someone who will leave an injured or dying pedestrian lying in the street.

This past week I have Blogged about a young Nashville woman who was hit by a car and left to die by the side of the road. Fortunately for this woman witnesses immediately contacted emergency services and she was at the hospital getting medical care within a short time. Yesterday her family made the heartbreaking decision to take her off life support. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young woman.

Fortunately for the family and the police investigators shortly after the collision the passenger of the Hit & Run driver returned to the scene and gave a complete statement to investigators. The driver and passenger had been drinking. Charges are pending the results of forensic tests conducted on the vehicle.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a serious Tennessee car accident due to somebody else’s negligence, then you may be feeling angry, frightened, or even alone in your suffering.

There is no reason for you to bear your burden alone.  The experience of a Tennessee auto accident is traumatic enough and your recovery will bring its own challenges.  You don’t need the added stress of worrying about who will pay for the medical care you need, how your car will be repaired, and if the individuals responsible for your suffering will be brought to justice.  This is the time to call Phillip Miller & Associates, the law firm of local Tennessee attorneys and staff who for the past 25 years have dedicated their lives to protecting the rights of injured men, women, and children in Tennessee.

Fatal Hit & Run

As an experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer I can tell you that a pedestrian is defined as any person not in or upon a motor vehicle or other vehicle. In 2007, 4,654 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States — a decrease of 13 percent from the 5,321 pedestrians killed in 1997. On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 113 minutes and injured in a traf!c crash every 8 minutes.

There were 70,000 pedestrians injured in traf!c crashes in 2007. Most pedestrian fatalities in 2007 occurred in urban areas (73%), at non-intersection locations (77%), in normal weather conditions (90%), and at night (67%). More than two-thirds (70%) of the pedestrians killed in 2007 were males. In 2007, the male pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 population was 2.19 — more than double the rate for females (0.91 per 100,000 population). In 2007, the male pedestrian injury rate per 100,000 population was 26, compared with 20 for females.

In a local media article this week we find that Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers and Mt. Juliet Police believe that a hit-and-run on Interstate 40 eastbound killed a pedestrian early Wednesday and caused two other accidents. The initial vehicle left the scene of the accident and is being sought by police. Some time during the period 3:30 AM to 5:15 AM a man was hit by a car on I-40 in the East bound lane. Some time later drivers trying to avoid the man’s body in the interstate swerved and ran off of the road.

If have any information about the driver who left the scene or the victim of this collision contact the Tennessee Highway Patrol or the Lebanon PD. For more information about Tennessee highway traffic safety or what to do if you are the victim of a Tennessee automobile accident check out the experienced personal injury lawyers at Philip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation with a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer.

Hit & Run Arrest

As an experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer I have become well acquanted with the Forrest Gump rule of “…stupid is as stupid does.” This guy is a powerful example of that rule.

In order to avoid a possible DUI citation a Campbell County Tennessee man ends up charged with criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving death and filing a false police report. This is good example of the kind of good thinking you do when you are under the influence, but hey, he didn’t get a DUI.

According to local news articles the 29-year-old man was driving along at about 11PM when he struck a pedestrian who was walking home from work. The other man was also 29-years-old and his body was found lying alongside the road at 7 AM the following morning. According to police investigators they were able to determine the make and color of the truck from debris left at the scene of the crash.

The driver filed a police report the following day saying that his yellow GMC pickup truck had been stolen sometime the evening before. Another stupid move. Police found the vehicle abandoned in a secluded area and arrested the owner-driver a short time later.

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog know how I feel about people who hit and possible kill another human being and resist the normal urge to stop, get out and help that person, but instead drive off and hide, leaving the unfortunate victim to die in an effort to avoid responsibility for their dastardly deed.

If you are the victim of a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident we urge you to contact our car accident attorneys today for a free consultation. When you hire an auto accident attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting a qualified and dedicated lawyer. Details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our website at www.seriousinjury.com where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.

Hit & Run Driver

As an experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyer I’d like to add my voice to that of the Hamilton County Tennessee Sheriff’s Department and ask anyone with information on a heavy-set woman with short hair driving a Mercury to please contact the Sheriff’s Department and identify the woman. It appears that witnesses to a Hit & Run fatality gave that description of a driver who hit 48-year-old Terry Bailey was hit as he crossed Cummings Highway. The driver didn’t stop.

Hit & Run drivers are, in my consideration, the worst kind of human being. Most H&R drivers are under the influence of alcohol, others have already run afoul of the law and have lost their driving privileges, yet they continue to get behind the wheel and ignore the rules. Many H&R drivers are trying to avoid detection because they don’t have insurance and they don’t want to face the responsibility for their actions. No matter which category they fall into they are the very worst type of person, someone who will leave an injured or dying pedestrian lying in the street.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a drunk hit & run driver recovering damages for your loss can be a tricky proposition and you will need an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney to help you protect your rights. At Phillip Miller & Associates we can help you.

Ejected Driver Fatality

This tragic Nashville automobile accident started when a Nashville woman was driving along I-24 when she for some reason lost control of her car hit a guardrail. She was not wearing her seat belt and as a result she was ejected from the car and onto the roadway where she was hit by a another car. A patrol officer saw the situation unfold and stopped to render aide. The officer saw the other vehicle stop and he focused his attention on the mortally injured woman. He called for help secured the scene and then went to talk with the driver of the other car. That driver had left the scene.

Chances are that the driver of the Hit & Run car would have faced no charges for the accident, but under the circumstances a warrant has been issued for fleeing the scene of a personal injury accident.

Hit & Run drivers are, in my consideration, the worst kind of human being. Most H&R drivers are under the influence of alcohol, others have already run afoul of the law and have lost their driving privileges, yet they continue to get behind the wheel and ignore the rules.

Many Hit&Run drivers are trying to avoid detection because they don’t have insurance and they don’t want to face the responsibility for their actions. No matter which category they fall into they are the very worst type of person, someone who will leave an injured or dying fellow human being lying in the street.

If you or someone you knows a person with a blue Mustang in the 2000 to 2004 vintage ask them if they might have been the one the police are looking for. If you suspect that you know the person contact the Nashville Police Department with your information.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a Hit & Run driver in a Tennessee automobile accident contact the experienced Nashville car crash lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine how you want to proceed.

Hit & Run Fatality

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer, Hit & Run drivers are, in my consideration, the worst kind of human being. Most H&R drivers are under the influence of alcohol, others have already run afoul of the law and have lost their driving privileges, yet they continue to get behind the wheel and ignore the rules. Many H&R drivers are trying to avoid detection because they don’t have insurance and they don’t want to face the responsibility for their actions. No matter which category they fall into they are the very worst type of person, someone who will leave an injured or dying pedestrian lying in the street.

Every time I read about a Hit & Run fatality my blood boils thinking about what kind of persons leaves another human being lying in the street to die alone.

Reference a Knoxville fatal Hit & Run last night. A 43-year-old man was crossing the street when he was hit by speeding dirt bike, which then sped off without stopping. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are looking for a dirt bag on a dirt bike.

If you are the victim of a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident we urge you to contact our Nashville car accident attorneys today for a free consultation. When you hire an auto accident attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting a qualified and dedicated lawyer. Details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our website at www.seriousinjury.com where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.

Hit & Run Driver

To all of the readers of my blog “The Tennessee Auto Accident Attorney”, please take note: The Chattanooga Tennessee Police Department are looking for information leading to the arrest of a driver who caused a motorcycle fatality this past Sunday afternoon. The driver being sought was in a blue PT Cruiser that crossed the centerline and caused another driver to swerve to avoid hitting it and who then hit a motorcycle killing it’s rider.

Hit & Run drivers are, in my consideration, the worst kind of human being. Most H&R drivers are under the influence of alcohol, others have already run afoul of the law and have lost their driving privileges, yet they continue to get behind the wheel and ignore the rules.

Many H&R drivers are trying to avoid detection because they don’t have insurance and they don’t want to face the responsibility for their actions. No matter which category they fall into they are the very worst type of person, someone who will leave an injured or dying fellow human being lying in the street.

If you or someone you knows a person with a blue PT Cruiser ask them if they might be the one the police are looking for. If you suspect that you know the person contact the Chattanooga police department with your information.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a Hit & Run driver in a Tennessee automobile accident contact the experienced Nashville car crash lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine how you want to proceed.