I got hurt in a car wreck. What is the average jury verdict in car wreck cases in Tennessee?
I can give you that number, but it is meaningless.
Why do I say that? Assume there were just two car wreck verdicts in Tennessee in 2009. One was a case where the person who filed suit had no treatment in the emergency room, $3000 in chiropractic treatment, and a history of prior neck and back pain. Assume that the verdict in that case was $3500.
1. What are the responsibilities of truck and bus drivers?
Answer: Truck and bus drivers are required to live up to the same standards and laws as every other driver on the road. In addition to these general rules, there are special safety laws that also cover most commercial drivers.
First, to prevent drivers from driving so long that they become dangerously tired, the law sets maximum hours they are allowed to work before taking a break. Truck drivers cannot drive more than eleven hours in one shift without stopping to take a break. Also, no matter how much time they spend behind the wheel, a truck driver has to stop and take a break within fourteen hours of the time the driver first clocks in to work for a shift. A break has to be ten hours in a row completely off duty. It does not matter if a truck driver works for two or three different companies; to comply with the law, the truck river must take a ten hour break from any and all jobs.
1. What duties do drivers owe to other people on the road?
Answer: Drivers owe other persons upon the roadway a duty to use reasonable and due care in the operation of their vehicles so as to avoid injury to other persons using the roadway. This includes keeping a proper lookout, maintain proper control of the vehicle, turning appropriately, stopping appropriately, and maintaining an appropriate speed. A driver also has a duty to follow state laws and local ordinances in operation of their vehicle. One example of a state law that drivers must follow is that it is illegal to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
Common carriers (those that carry passengers for hire, such as buses and taxi cabs) are held to a higher standard of care. They must exercise the highest degree of care for their passengers’ safety.
Tennessee Injury Law Center