Tennessee Roadway Fatlity

This past Friday afternoon a 62-year-old Oliver Springs man was killed in a one-car roadway departure crash in Anderson County, Tennessee. According to local media reports the man was traveling westbound on Oliver Springs Highway when he lost control, swerved across the intersection of Bill Key Lane, went airborne, and then flipped into a pond. Police told local media that the man was wearing his seat belt.

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney, I’m left to wonder what caused the man to lose control. From the article, I would assume that the man was speeding and was not able to negotiate a turn or was somehow distracted in the seconds before leaving the road.

Numerous studies point to driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes. Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.  Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car crash by a distracted driver or a case like the present one that will require and experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer contact the lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.

Teen Driver Dies

According to local news reports an 18-year-old Cookeville teenager was killed in a traffic crash on the Gainesboro Grade in Jackson County on Wednesday afternoon. Three passengers, a 39-year-old woman, an 80-year-old man, and a 57-year-old woman, all of Gainesboro, Tennessee were injured.

The facts of the accident are confusing, at best. It appears that the teen driver was driving westbound in the eastbound lane and crashed head-on into an oncoming van. The driver was not wearing his seatbelt. The three people in the van were all injured but the report doesn’t describe their injuries.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I’ll have to say, I’m confused and have lots of questions. The main question is why was the young driver in the wrong lane, followed by why he was not wearing his seatbelt. I’ll keep up with this story and try to gather more facts. Was he passing another car? Was he somehow incapacitated by a medical problem? Was he distracted in some way?

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation. Call 615-356-2000.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer, I have some advice for car thieves. If you feel you have to steal a car take special care not to violate and traffic safety laws, such as speeding, red light running, seat belt violations, DUI and any other thing that will draw police attention to you and your stolen car.

I often write about fools who get behind the wheel of an automobile and go out of their way to show just how big of a fool they are, unfortunately many times other people have to suffer or die behind their actions. Today’s story has a happy ending for the innocent drivers on Knoxville roads and the brave men and women of the Knoxville PD who are tasked to get these types off the road. According to local media reports  A man was taken into police custody today after being found in South Knox County at the scene of crash involving a stolen car.

The man was found in the roadway, apparently having been ejected during a single-vehicle car crash at 12:45 p.m. on Gov. John Sevier Highway at Denwood Road. The car he was driving, a 1994 Honda was reported stolen 4 days ago. This wasn’t the man’s first brush with the law. He was previously charged with home invasion robbery, but other information was unavailable at this time.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident involving a guy like this you are really going to need an experienced Nashville auto accident attorney who knows the in’s and out’s of the law to secure a reasonable recovery on your behalf. That lawyer can be found at Phillip Miller & Associates. Check our website or call 615-356-2000.

Safety Tips

Pay Attention In Construction Zones

When you see a sign that says, “Road Work 1500 Feet,” you will be in the construction zone very quickly!

Follow posted speed limits, especially within construction zones. Try to maintain a consistent speed with the traffic flow.

Don’t resume normal speed until you see roadway signs indicating it is safe to do so.

Manage Your Space

Leave adequate braking room between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. Count at least two seconds from the time the car ahead of you passes an object and the time your car passes that object.

Don’t pass on the shoulder and don’t drive across the median!

Leave yourself an out. When stopped in traffic, leave a safety zone between you and the vehicle in front of you. A good rule is that when stopped in traffic you should be able to see the bottom of the tires of the vehicle in front of you.

Watch out for tailgaters. Do not force tailgaters to back off by slamming on your brakes or reducing your speed significantly. When possible, pull over and let them pass. If this is not possible, turn your headlights on and off several times during daylight hours to illuminate your tail lights and warn tailgaters they are too close. If at night, lightly tap your brake pedal.

Manage Your Stress

Keep your cool. Calm down and don’t rush. Remember the temporary inconvenience of a construction zone will pay off with greatly improved roads soon.

Learn some simple techniques to keep you calm when you encounter delays in work zones:

Practice calm breathing

Try to visualize peaceful and calming scenes

Don’t allow impatient or speeding motorists to cause you to alter your own good driving habits

Pay attention! Avoid cell phone or radio distractions, as well as those of other stopped cars or construction

Expect delays. Leave earlier, if necessary, to arrive at your destination on time, or consider using an alternate route that bypasses the construction zones.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville automobile accident involving a distracted driver in a construction zone contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies. If you have been involved in an accident and are thinking of handling the negotiations with the other drivers insurance company on your own, you owe it to yourself to at least check out our website and educate yourself before undertaking this complicated and complex process.

Two Victims of Negligent driving

For some, as of yet, unknown reason, a 52-year-old Tiptonville man was driving eastbound on Highway 21 and crossed the center line in his pickup hitting a car driven by a 51-year-old man from Forsythe, Georgia. The driver and a passenger in the pickup both died at the scene. Another car was struck and the driver of that vehicle was injured.

Police investigators will have to determine the reason the original driver crossed the centerline and initiated the collision. Was the driver drunk, distracted, drowsy or simply speeding? Whatever the reason, the result is that two human beings are dead as the result of this man’s driving. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of these unfortunate people.

When you hire an attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting the whole package.  You don’t just get an extremely qualified and dedicated lawyer, you also get a loyal Tennessee resident who cares about the quality of life in their community and who puts their time and money into standing up for causes and charities they believe in.  You can read about some of the causes we support on our home page, along with a summary of our professional qualifications.  Additional details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our personal profiles, where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.

Please contact Phillip Miller & Associates today and take your first step forward towards putting the frustration and horror of your auto accident experience behind you. Call 615-356-2000.

Tennessee Car House Collision

Maybe it’s just me but, in my several decades as a Nashville personal injury lawyer, I don’t think I’ve seen as many automobile accidents where a driver crashes into a house as I have in the last few months. To my surprise, I see a report on a local TV news outlet reporting on a fatal one-car accident in Chattanooga in which a woman driving an SUV died after her vehicle crashed into a house.

Fortunately, the house was abandoned and the passengers, the deceased’s daughter and friend, were not seriously injured. According to the report the 31-year-old driver was speeding and not wearing her seatbelt. On impact, most drivers not wearing seat belts, as with this woman, are ejected from the vehicle and die.

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation.

It’s really a simple concept that takes only a second or two to complete, but failure to exercise it can lead to catastrophic results, as we see here. The use of seatbelts are required by Tennessee law.  Seat belts can, and often do, help save you and your passengers’ lives in the event of a traffic crash.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motor vehicle accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies.

Teen Drivers-Distractions-Speeding

In one of the cardinal sins following a motor vehicle accident, the 17-year-old female driver who, the night before, had driven her car into a home at speeds in excess of 60 M.P.H., posted on Face Book that she had suffered a seizure prior to leaving the road and slamming into, and destroying the house. No one was seriously injured.

Witnesses said it appeared that she was speeding and as she passed them and almost clipped their car. According to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, teen drivers are approximately 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own, and are nearly twice as likely to crash as they are after two full years of experience.

In a recent post I mentioned a number of things to do and other things not to do if you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, and the number one thing to do is not to go on a social media page and talk about the accident. Things you say online are there forever and accessible to another party in the event of a law suit. She is now locked into to seizure defense and in the event that here medical report does not support it, she has real problems with the liability issue.

According to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, teen drivers are approximately 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month of driving than they are after a full year of experience driving on their own, and are nearly twice as likely to crash as they are after two full years of experience.

Keep up with the latest information regarding highway safety by visiting our web site at Phillip Miller & Associates or call 615-356-2000

Learn The Basic Speed Rule

Many of us, myself included took our drivers test some several years ago and that was the last time we even looked at a drivers license study guide. As a Nashville personal injury attorney I would like to take this opportunity to refresh your recollection about a very important driving concept known as the Basic Speed Rule.

The Basic Speed Rule: The speed at which you drive determines how much time you have to act or react and how long it takes to stop. The higher the speed, the less time drivers have to spot hazards. Judge the speed of other traffic, and react to avoid the mistakes of other drivers.

The Basic Speed Rule (BSR) is not a Tennessee law, but it is a general safety principle. The BSR does not set an exact speed limit, instead it teaches that the speed you may drive is limited by current conditions. For example, if the posted speed limit is 65 m.p.h. and you are driving at night on a two-lane state highway and it’s raining or foggy, 65 m.p.h. is too fast for those conditions. To obey the BSR, think about your speed in relation to other traffic (including pedestrians and bicycles), the surface and width of the road, hazards at intersections, weather, visibility and any other conditions that could affect safety.

Principles of the Basic Speed Rule:

1. Your speed must be careful and prudent. Use skill and good judgment.

2. Your speed must be reasonable and proper, not too fast and not too slow, for any conditions including:

* Amount of Traffic – How many cars on the road

* Speed of Traffic – How fast or slow it’s moving

* Whether Pedestrians are Present – Especially children in school zones or neighborhoods

* Surface of the Road – Rough or smooth, paved, gravel, etc.

* Width of the Road – One-lane, two-lane, four-lane

* Structure of the Road – Straight, curving, bridges, narrow shoulders, etc.

* Visibility – How far ahead you can see clearly

* Weather Conditions – Rain, snow, ice, fog, etc.

* Your Own Driving Ability

If you or a loved is injured or killed by a negligent driver violating the BSR you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville auto accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

The Dragon Claims Another

Earlier this year we reported on the death of 45-year-old Christiana motorcyclist who was killed on “The Dragon”, (US Highway 129) in August. This past week his family filed suit on behalf of his two children against the trucking company and the driver for damages in the amount of $14.5.

If you will recall the truck rounded a curve in the narrow winding highway and the backend of the trailer crossed into the other lane just as the motorcyclist was rounding the corner, the man was crushed by the rear wheels of the trailer. According to the suit the man lived for over an hour waiting for the ambulance and expired on the way to the hospital.

A number of motorcyclists started a campaign to persuade legislators to ban tractor-trailers longer than 30 feet from using the Dragon, an 11.1-mile stretch of U.S. 129 from Tabcat Creek to the North Carolina state line at Deals Gap, but the move is opposed by the Tennessee DOT on the grounds that it would have a negative economic impact in the area.

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speeding is a dangerous game and can end in death for the speeder, the driver and passengers of the other vehicles and for innocent pedestrians. Fortunately no one else was involved in this accident

If you or a loved is seriously injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident by a speeding driver you ought to contact the experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

A Brave Public Servant

A Lawrence County sheriff’s deputy remains in a Nashville hospital today after being injured in a crash Sunday while attempting to stop a robbery suspect, according to local media reports.  The deputy, Dennis Cody, was injured when the robbery suspect slammed into his patrol car.

The latest word we have from the Sheriff’s Department is that Deputy Cody is improving. This brave officer had positioned his car in the path of the robbery suspect  to prevent him from hitting innocent civilians. Our prayers go out to this brave young man for a speedy and complete recovery.

The robbery suspect was injured and taken to a local hospital. The man was on parole and has a history of robbing other people. People like this man are dangerous because they will do anything, hurt anyone to keep from going back to the pen. On top of the robbery charges he will now be facing an aggravated assault charge which should insure a lengthy term.

The staff and lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates want to take this opportunity to thank all of the brave men and women who take to the highways and byways of Tennessee to protect us from those who would rob and kill their fellow civilians.