In a press conference earlier this week, the cause of Tiger Woods’ single car accident on February 23, 2021 was announced by police. The culprit: speed. As part of their investigation, police accessed the black box data or EDR data from Woods’ car and discovered Tiger Woods was driving 84 to 87 mph when he lost control of the vehicle. The speed limit was 45. Almost everyone has heard about black box data, but read on if you want to learn what data these devices record, how the data is extracted and the role EDRs can be play in car and truck accidents that result in injury or death. Continue reading
Articles Posted in Death Cases
Major Biden and Dog Bite Claims
Earlier this week, President Biden’s dog, Major Biden, got court-martialed and sent back home to Delaware after a “biting incident” with a Secret Service member at the White House. While the news reports indicate that Major got surprised and “reacted in a way that resulted in a minor injury to an individual.” The White House spokesperson explained the Bidens’ two German Shepherds were still getting acclimated to the White House and all the new people in their lives. And while that may be true and understandable, this biting incident highlights a number of issues surrounding dog bites and dog attacks and responsibility of dog owners. Continue reading
Spring Break Driving Tips
Middle Tennessee schools and many colleges are poised for spring break. As a result of the pandemic, more families are opting to drive to their destination this year. Even those that are not planning on taking a trip should be prepared to share the roads with those that are. Are you and your car ready? Do you know the most important things you can do to avoid being in a car accident?
Researchers at two Florida universities found that there are significantly more fatal accidents in the month of March at top vacation spots like Florida, California and Arizona. Of course, one of the first factors that comes to mind is drunk driving by college-aged students. To be sure, drinking and driving is dangerous but that is just one of many factors that leads to the increase in spring break car accidents. So, let’s review some of the steps you can take to reduce the chances that you are involved in a car accident:
Radical Listening
A recent New York Times article discussed how the health care industry was attempting to teach medical professionals the art of “radical listening”. What is radical listening? And why is it so important especially for professionals like doctors and lawyers. Continue reading
How Will the Pandemic Affect Jury Awards?
Let’s face it, the pandemic is leaving an indelible mark on almost everything, so there is no reason to believe jury awards in injury and death cases will be any different. Jury and trial consulting firms have been conducting surveys since the inception of the pandemic and they have some theories on how the pandemic will affect the amount of jury awards, how it will impact medical malpractice cases and whether it will generally be better for the defendant or the injury victim.
Road Rage and Car Accidents
Last week, news outlets reported road rage was likely the reason for the December murder of Nashville nurse, Caitlyn Kaufman who was shot and killed while driving to work. According to court testimony, the shooter was angry with Ms. Kaufman because she allegedly cut him off. This story is so tragic but unbelievably the use of a firearm is fairly common in road rage incidences (37% of them) even if the firearm is just brandished. In most instances, a perceived or actual slight on the road boils over into road rage due to a driver’s stress in other areas of life. Unfortunately, most of us are under stress right now due to the pandemic so, now more than ever, we need to be aware of what are the most common triggers of road rage, how to avoid them and what to do if you are involved in a road rage incident.
Nashville’s Efforts to Reduce Pedestrian Accidents
2019 had been the deadliest year on record for pedestrian and bicyclist deaths in Nashville with 32 people killed. And then, of course, 2020 was worse. In 2020, Nashville had 37 pedestrian and bicyclist deaths. In response, Metro Nashville has adopted some programs to help. Metro’s Traffic Calming Program and Vision Zero program are being used to improve safety, and one big step is reducing speed limits on our roadways. Continue reading
I Had a Car Accident, But I Don’t Have Insurance
In Tennessee, this unfortunately happens a lot. Tennessee is sixth worst in the nation for uninsured drivers. The next time you are out driving, consider this: one in every five vehicles you meet does not have insurance. Of course, this is why we are constantly encouraging people to buy uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. But today, we want to look at what happens if you drive without insurance in Tennessee and whether someone who does not have insurance can still pursue a personal injury case. Continue reading
New Year’s Legal Resolutions 2021
As I type the title to his blog post, I am reminded of Seth Godin’s comment that resolutions do not work but habits and systems do, so maybe the title should be: New Year’s Legal Habits. In essence, it boils down to the difference between writing something down on paper vs. actually doing what you have written down on paper. One is much harder than the other and then, of course, you must first know what you should be doing, so we thought we would help with that part, at least for the legal side of things. You can decide for yourself if you want to lose weight, write the great American novel or learn how to make fresh pasta.
Security
While doing some cleaning out last weekend, we came across this old Peanuts book titled: Security is a Thumb and a Blanket. 2020 has certainly caused many of us to long for more security whether it be in our economic situation, our health, our relationships, etc. If only a thumb and a blanket could keep us from danger or threat. As we flipped through the book, we saw the above photo. It is a great reminder of the importance of choosing the right team. If you think you or a loved one might need an injury attorney, read on to learn more about how to pick the right one for you – even if it is not us. Continue reading