You may believe that your tires are in good condition, especially if they have served you well for years. However, more and more accidents have occurred that suggest a great danger, largely unaddressed, associated with aging tires—even if they appear to be in perfect form, according to a WOIO article from January 27.
A tragic accident that affirmed the danger of aging tires happened last February, when the tread on an SUV’s tires suddenly split apart on a Louisiana highway. The vehicle spun out of control, veering across the median and hitting a school bus carrying high school athletes. Four people in the SUV were killed, while a total of 30 student baseball players and coaches on the bus were injured.
This accident, among others, has finally garnered the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which reportedly has begun to assert itself into the tire safety discourse. It is clear that tire safety needs to be examined, so fatal accidents influenced by tire defects can be prevented.
The personal injury attorneys of Pohl & Berk, LLP, believe that Tennessee accident victims should not be held responsible when their vehicles malfunction or tires are unexpectedly defective. If you or a loved one has experienced a car accident through no fault of your own, call our offices at 615-277-2765 today to learn about your legal options for pursuing financial compensation.
Koua Fong Lee, the man jailed for causing a fatal car accident eight years ago, is now bringing a product liability lawsuit against Toyota after problematic acceleration issues begin to surface nationwide, according to newsadvance.com.
In 2006, Lee was sentenced to jail for vehicular homicide after his Camry suddenly accelerated at a freeway exit in St. Paul, Minnesota, hitting an Oldsmobile driven by Javis Trice-Adams, Sr. at an estimated 75 mph. Trice-Adams and two children died in the accident. Lee always claimed that a problem with the car caused the accident, and 2.5 years into his sentence, he was released after other instances of acceleration problems in Toyotas were revealed. Lee is now bringing a product liability lawsuit against Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. eight years after the accident.
If you have suffered from an accident in Nashville or other areas in Tennessee due to an manufacturing or design defect, our attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP can help you pursue financial compensation from those responsible for your plight. Call our offices today at 615-277-2765.
Chrysler garnered further criticism over its Jeep recall procedures when a second warning was issued by the NHTSA after a pregnant 23-year-old was killed in an accident caused by the defect, The New York Times reported on November 21.
Liberty model years 2002-2007 and Grand Cherokees 1993-1998 were among the 1.6 million vehicles recalled for heightened risk of fires in rear-end collisions, due to the placement of the gas tank behind the rear axle. Kayla White’s wreck was the most recent of 51 total fatal accidents related to this defect.
NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman admonished the company, citing reports that claim Chrysler dealerships have turned many Jeep owners away due to lack of parts. Allegedly, some dealerships even told customers that no changes were needed. The same day, Chrysler issued a statement re-asserting their commitment to the recall by assuring additional efforts to reach affected customers and ensure fully stocked dealerships.
Automakers are held to a high safety standard, as car accidents caused by defects can result in serious injuries and damages. When manufacturers fail to provide safe vehicles, then, they should be held fully liable for any resulting financial losses. The Tennessee car accident lawyers at Pohl & Berk, LLP, are dedicated to representing victims of defective vehicles against negligent manufacturers. Call our offices at 615-277-2765 today to begin taking action.
Many drivers are completely unaware of the condition that their tires are in or how to examine this. Tires in poor condition are, unfortunately, at high risk for blowing out, a roadway emergency that can be fatal if a driver doesn’t handle the situation properly. If a driver is traveling at high speeds and has a tire blow out, they are instantly thrown into one of the most dangerous and deadly situations a driver can face. In fact, around 535 people die each year in the 2,000 tire blow out accidents that occur annually.
However, what is more concerning is how uninformed drivers are when it comes to safely responding to a tire blow out. A driver’s natural instinct is often to slam on the brakes and jerk the steering wheel, which can quickly lead to a devastating accident.
In order to safely handle a front tire blow out, a driver should focus on maintaining their speed, keeping a solid grip on the wheel, steering in the direction of the failed tire, and then braking once they have stabilized the car. Once the car is stabilized, the driver should pull to the side of the road when it is safe to do so.
In order to avoid these dangerous accidents, however, drivers are encouraged to take all available precautions to prevent a blow out in the first place. As such, drivers are encouraged to replace tires when they become worn or are too old, and should make sure to always maintain safe tire pressure.
Both drivers were injured when a minivan and pickup truck collided on Hamilton Church Road in south Nashville’s Priest Lake Community, WKRN-TV Nashville reported on November 5.
According to the Metro Police, the minivan and pickup truck collided around 8:15 a.m. when they both swerved into the eastbound lane in a futile attempt to avoid a collision. The drivers of both vehicles were immediately taken to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries, and both are expected to survive.
Witness Cindy Clopton said this accident is one of the many crashes that happened frequently along this stretch of the road, and noted that local officials should do something about the frequency of accidents happening in the area. However, Councilman Robert Duvall said that his office had not received any major complaints about accidents there.
If you were hurt in a car accident in Nashville due to the negligence of other people, such as reckless motorists, manufacturers of defective vehicles, or negligent government bodies who fail to maintain roads, the attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP, may be able to help. Call our offices at 615-277-2765 today to learn about your options for legal recourse.
A jury in Rutherford County recently awarded almost $3 million in damages to one permanently injured and the estate of one deceased car accident victim, the Murfreesboro Post reported on July 4.
John Jackson, in his early 80’s, died several days after the accident happened. Scott Summerville, a 57-year-old Nashville resident, suffered permanent injuries from the accident.
The car accident happened in July 2011 along Interstate 24 near the Sam Ridley Parkway exit in Smyrna when Owensboro, Kentucky resident Mildred Payne lost control over his Toyota Camry. He veered off the roadway, slammed into a sign, crossed the median, and finally crashed into Jackson’s 2000 Mercedes Benz, which was headed east on I-24. Summerville was driving Jackson’s Mercedes Benz when the crash happened. All of the blame from the personal injury and wrongful death suits was placed on Payne.
If you are the victim of a car accident in Tennessee due to the negligent driving of someone else, the attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP, may help you pursue financial compensation. Call our offices today at 615-277-2765 to learn more.
A man was taken into police custody early on June 30 after causing a rollover accident that involved two other vehicles in Madison at around 4 a.m., WKRN-TV Nashville reported.
The man who was later arrested was trying to turn left onto Myatt Drive from State Route 45 when a car traveling the other direction hit the passenger side of the man’s pickup truck. The truck then hit a sport utility vehicle and flipped over. The car that hit the truck was occupied by a female; both she and the truck driver sustained minor injuries, while the SUV driver was unharmed. The truck driver was arrested after he failed the sobriety test given to him by a police officer who responded to the scene.
Car accidents are a major source of serious injuries, and they often lead to expensive medical bills. If you have been injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, call the personal injury attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP, by dialing 615-277-2765 today to discuss your legal options.
Emergency personnel responded to a car accident that occurred at the intersection of Nashville Highway and 7th Avenue in Columbia, Tennessee on Monday, May 5 at around 9:45 a.m.
According to preliminary investigations, a woman was driving a Chevrolet Camaro along the highway when she suddenly stopped the vehicle, causing Officer Vagen Trimble of the Columbia Police Department, who was traveling behind her, to fall from his motorcycle after maneuvering to avoid a collision.
CPD Sergeant Thomas Ehret said the young woman who was driving the Camaro stopped her vehicle in the middle of the intersection as she was nearing the traffic lights, which were yellow at the time. In Trimble’s efforts to avoid a car accident, he overturned his motorcycle, suffering back injuries as a result.
Our attorneys at Pohl & Berk, LLP, know how difficult it can be for Tennessee residents to recover from automobile accidents, but if you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, we may be able to help you fight for compensation. Call our offices today at (615) 277-2765 to learn more about what we can do for you.
Twenty-five-year-old Metro Police Officer Michael Petrina was killed when a motor home hit him as he was trying to attend to a minor accident along Interstate 65 on May 10, The Tennessean reported.
A recent police academy graduate, Petrina was redirecting traffic after a pickup truck flipped over as it entered the highway from Old Hickory Boulevard. 71-year-old Dean Joseph Diver’s motor home came around a curve near exit 74. When he saw the stoppage, Diver tried to maneuver between Petrina’s squad car and a Tennessee Department of Transportation truck and accidentally struck the young officer.
Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said the District Attorney General’s Office will look into the case as soon as the investigation of the incident is complete, but as of yet no charges have been filed.
The lawyers at Pohl & Berk LLP send their deepest condolences to the friends and family who are suffering from this great loss.
