Motorcycle Accident

Wednesday evening turned into a hectic time for local emergency responders on the streets of Nashville.  First on the agenda was a serious motorcycle crash on Vietnam Veterans Parkway. Information about the cause of the accident are not in yet but it appears the the biker left the road at speed and hit the median guardrail.

Minutes later the call went out to respond to a very serious pedestrian accident at the intersection Nolensville Pike and Harding Place. The latest on the pedestrian’s condition is unknown at this time but we will keep you filled in as facts come to light. According to local media reports it appears that the driver involved will not be cited.

Later that evening, another pedestrian was seriously injured as she walked along a drak section of road without a sidewalk on Wilson Pike. She is now at Vanderbilt in critical condition. Our prayers go out to all three victims for a speedy and complete recovery.

Keep up with issues related to Tennessee traffic related situations by visiting this Blog and our website at Phillip Miller & Associates. Call 615-356-2000.

Keep A Lookout For motorcycles

With more and more people taking to the roads in motorcycles it has become urgent that Tennessee automobile and truck drivers exercise due care when making driving decisions. Keep on the lookout for motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Reference a recent pickup truck motorcycle crash near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee was directly related to the pickup driver’s failure to keep a look out when he made an illegal u-turn and pulled directly into the path of an oncoming Harley-Davidson rider who was airlifted to Vanderbilt University in serious condition. The truck driver was cited for an improper turn and failure to exercise due care.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a Nashville motorcycle accident or auto accident as a result of distracted driving or other negligent driving?  If so, you should call the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, a Nashville motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm will fight to help you win. We will treat you with the utmost compassion and respect. Call us today and speak with an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your case. Call (615) 356-2000.

Practice Motorcycle Safety

A motorcyclist lost his leg in Chattanooga crash last weekend following a serious crash on U.S. Highway 27 near the Martin Luther King Boulevard exit. The 56-year-old man lost control of his cycle and hit a guardrail. He was ejected from the cycle and thrown into the oncoming traffic and was hit by one or more vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. He is being treated for life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately this type of event is increasing in frequency and I’d like to bring you some important facts to consider.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) deaths from motorcycle crashes have more than doubled in the past decade from 2,116 in 1997 to 5,154 in 2007 up 6.6% from 4,837 in 2006. Add to that another 103,000 people who were injured in motorcycle crashes in 2007, up 17% from 88,000 in 2006.

The yearly number of motorcycle deaths is more than double the annual total number of people killed in all aviation, rail, marine and pipeline accidents combined, with head injuries as the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes. In addition to the tragic loss of life, the economic cost to society is enormous.

In 2005, motorcyclists without helmets were involved in 36 percent of all motorcycle crashes, but represented 70 percent of the total cost of all motorcycle crashes – $12.2 billion. Medical and other costs for un-helmeted riders involved in crashes are staggering, estimated at $310,000 per accident.  That’s more than four times the overall cost of accidents involving helmeted riders.

If you are going to drive a motorcycle prepare yourself before taking to the highway. Take a course from a reputable group, wear leathers and most of all wear a highquality safety helmet.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident caused by negligent driver contact the experienced Nashville motorcycle accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Motorcycle Roadway Departure Crash

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer I have come to learn that accident investigators may never be able to determine what caused a fatal or near-fatal accident. The classic case in this category is the one where the driver is alone on a deserted highway and they leave the road and either roll over or slam into a hard object.

Others, like a recent motorcycle accident in Christian County Kentucky just north of the Tennessee line fit squarely into this category. According to local news media a motorcyclist was traveling East on I-24 when he suddenly switched lanes, crossed the median and then the oncoming lanes and launched the bike which landed in the upper branches of a tree. What could possible have precipitated this accident? Did he have a mechanical failure? Was he distracted?

If there is a happy aspect of this horrible crash it’s that he passed through the oncoming lanes without being hit by a tractor-trailer or other vehicle. Our prayers go out to the man for a quick and complete recovery. He is in serious condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I know that these crashes are referred to as “Roadway Departure Crashes” (RDCs). The Federal Highway Administration defines a RDC as a non-intersection crash that occurs when a vehicle crosses an edge line or a centerline, or otherwise leaves the traveled way.

According to the Federal Highway Administration roadway departure crashes are frequently severe and account for the majority of highway fatalities. In 2008, there were 19,794 fatal roadway departure crashes resulting in 22,080 fatalities, which was 53 percent of the fatal crashes in the United States.

If you or a loved one is injure or killed in a Nashville interstate highway accident caused by a negligent driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation about your rights and remedies.