Avoid Distractions

A late night motorcycle crash will pose some interesting questions for the Tennessee State Trooper investigating the crash. According to local media reports, a 42-year-old Bristol, VA man driving a 2007 Harley Davidson, was traveling north on US Hwy. 421 when it crossed over the southbound lane of traffic and left the road.  The motorcycle then struck wooden guard posts.

What events could cause a driver to cross and leave the road and strike guardrails? As an experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorney, my guess is that the man might have fallen asleep as he drove. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any of the facts at the case, but I have seen crashes like this one and drowsy driving was the casue.

The lesson here for Nashville drivers is that we all must avoid distractions when we are driving on the highways and byways of Tennessee. If you are taking medication of any kind, pay particular attention to the instructions and remind yourselves to keep an eye on your driving

Injured is a motor vehicle accident? If so you owe it to your family and friends to call for a free consultation with the motorcycle accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, and find out about yourrights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.

High Powered Motorcycle + Speed = Death

Combine a high-powered motorcycle, a sharp turn and high speed and the outcome isn’t going to come under the category of pretty. In what has come to be an all to familiar situation, a 37-year-old Nashville man was riding his 2005 Yamaha down Pettus Road when he failed to negotiate a curve and lost control. The man and the motorcycle landed on a concrete culvert.

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise. What lies at the cause of this phenomenon? Several things come to mind.

First of all manufacturers continue to make motorcycles bigger and faster. Sometimes known as “crotch rockets” these high-powered bikes require more skill and unfortunately anybody with the money or credit can buy one and without any specialized training, take to the highway.

As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident caused by a careless motorcycle rider, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Motorcycle And A Tractor-Trailer - Bad Mix

In Bristol, Tennessee a collision between a tractor-trailer car hauler and a motorcycle killed the motorcyclist on Wednesday afternoon. The motorcyclist and the tractor-trailer were both driving in the same direction when the motorcycle hit the rear of the tractor-trailer around 3:23 p.m. According to local media reports, police do not suspect that drugs or alcohol were involved in the collision but police did tell the press that charges are pending.

Without more information it’s impossible to say what caused this fatality, but the fact that charges are pending means that the police think that the truck driver was at fault. What does this mean to you if you or a family member are the victim of a Tennessee tractor-trailer accident and suffer a serious or life threatening injury?

It means that the trucking company has a huge advantage in investigating the cause of the accident and developing a strategy for its defense to any claim that arises. During one of these situations evidence can disappear and negligent drivers can be coached on what to say to police investigators.

The trucking company has the benefit of an expert that was actually at the accident scene. This may not be possible for the victim since injuries are usually severe in nature. Needless to say it is important to act quickly so that an expert can examine the evidence on your behalf.

Time is of the essence in these kind of cases. Although most cases can be reconstructed at a later time it is important to have someone looking out for your best interests as soon as possible. That’s why it’s important to contact an experienced Tennessee tractor-trailer accident lawyer like those you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates.

If you or a loved one is injured in a car tractor-trailer accident act quickly and take advantage of a no-cost no-obligation consultation and learn about your rights and put our crack team of lawyers and investigators on the case.

Pay Attention

A motorcycle wreck leaves an 18-month-old-child fatherless in Anderson, Alabama just South of the Tennessee line. The 22-year-old man was riding his motorcycle alone on U.S. Highway 43 near Beartown Road at 3:30 in the very early morning this past Sunday.

Neither local media nor police reports mention whether alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident. An autopsy will determine the answer to that question. The man apparently lost control of his motorcycle at an area where the highway curves and crashed.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

In 2007, 2,641 (50%) of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with another type of motor vehicle in transport. In two-vehicle crashes, 78 percent of the motorcycles involved were struck in the front. Only 5 percent were struck in the rear. Motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I couldn’t help but think of the many factors that could have caused this fatal Tennessee motorcycle accident. Was there a medical emergency, a vehicle malfunction such as a blown tire, was he distracted by something such as a cell phone, or was he drowsy and nodded off for just a second?  So many reasons and so many unanswered questions left for the family to process. The one thing they do know is that their loved one is gone, and has become just another traffic fatality statistic.

Stories like these remind us that when we get behind the wheel, or handbars, of a motor vehicle we have to have our full attention on the task at hand. We must regularly check the condition of our tires and brakes, we must avoid doing things that cause us to take our eyes off the road, and if we begin to feel drowsy or ill we need to quickly and safely get off the road and address these issues.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee motorcycle accident contact our experienced Nashville accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000

Motorcycle Fatality

A Tazewell, Tennessee man was killed in a motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon when he lost control of the bike hitting a guardrail. According to a local media report, witnesses stated to police that the man passed several vehicles at a high rate of speed in the northbound lane. As he approached a curve near Barren Creek Road, he lost control of the motorcycle and hit the guardrail on the right side of the road.

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney, I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise. What lies at the cause of this phenomenon? Several things come to mind.

First of all manufacturers continue to make motorcycles bigger and faster. Sometimes known as “crotch rockets” these high-powered bikes require more skill and unfortunately anybody with the money or credit can buy one and without any specialized training, take to the highway.

As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Motorycle Fatality

Witnesses say the 58-year-old motorcyclist was driving erratically in the moments leading up to his losing control on I-65 and leaving the road before hitting a Tennessee Department of Transportation sign. This unfortunate man was dead at the scene. Our prayers go out to his family and friends.

The investigation into the cause of the roadway departure crash will certainly focus on the results of an autopsy and a toxicology screen, to determine whether the man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, was drowsy, distracted or had some kind of medical emergency that interfered with his ability to drive.

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.

Distractions Kill

A 64-year-old Illinois man was killed while riding his motorcycle in Hardin County Tennessee on July Fourth. Witnesses told investigating officers that the motorcyclist was attempting to turn south onto another road, but that he turned left directly into the path of an oncoming pickup truck.

The motorcycle rider was pronounced at the scene. My prayers go out to his family and friends. It’s hard to imagine just what it might have been that prevented the man from seeing the oncoming pickup truck. Distracted driving is a serious problem on the highways of Tennessee, and when the distracted driver is driving a motorcycle the danger level goes up exponentially.

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise. What lies at the cause of this phenomenon? Several things come to mind.

As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a careless motorcycle rider, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Motorcycle + Alcohol = Disaster

A 54-year-old Clinton, Tennessee man was injured when his motorcycle went airborne after hitting poles blocking the entrance to a parking lot near the Hickory and Calumet Street intersection in Centralia, Illinois early Saturday morning.  Centralia Police say Douglas Coward ran a stop sign while southbound on Hickory Street.

After hitting the poles, the cycle went airborne for 90 feet and the rider was thrown airborne for 75 feet.  Police say there were skid marks indicating Coward had tried to stop.   Coward was initially taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia and then transferred to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.

Coward was ticketed for driving under the influence, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and no insurance.  The wreck occurred at 12:28 Saturday morning.

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

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault.  Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents, or something as simple as faulty road design or poorly planned construction can contribute to a crash.

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney, I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise.

A motorcycle accident in Memphis this weekend turned fatal when an off-duty Germantown police officer was killed when another driver failed to yield the right-of-way to the motorcycle and turned left into him. My prayers go out to the family and friends of the officer and to the people of Germantown who lost a fine public servant.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident caused by a careless driver, contact the experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Helmets Save Lives

A Tennessee man killed in motorcycle/truck intersection wreck in Florida when a Ford-350 pickup truck turned directly in his path at an intersection. According to the Florida Highway Patrol investigator and local media sources, the Tennessee motorcyclist had a green light and was proceeding through the intersection when the Ford pickup turned into his path. The man was taking advantage of Florida law, that allows him to ride without a helmet. My prayers go out to his family and friends.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault.  Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents, or something as simple as faulty road design or poorly planned construction can contribute to a crash.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault.  Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents, or something as simple as faulty road design or poorly planned construction can contribute to a crash.

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.