Tennessee Injury Law Center
Recently, several news stories related to safety and injury law caught our attention. We thought we would discuss each one quickly. Let’s get started:
Marketing genius Seth Godin wrote an interesting post titled: If They Know, They Should Tell Us. Seth’s point was that many different companies and fields have known about problems with their products but have failed to take appropriate corrective action leading to unnecessary injuries and deaths. Some examples include tobacco companies, pharmaceutical companies, and car companies. Seth points out that if the public had known about the problems and dangers, many, if not most people, would have made a different choice.
One example Godin uses is that car manufacturers must report malfunctions and injuries to the federal government’s watchdog, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) so that investigations can be opened, recommendations made, and recalls performed, when necessary. The same day as Seth Godin’s post, news outlets reported that Trump’s transition team wants to scrap the requirement to report car crashes with automated driving systems. Tesla is one of the leaders in advanced driving features and is opposed to the reporting requirement. Tesla has reported 40 of the 45 crashes since October 15th.
The NHTSA has said that since the requirement went into effect in 2021, they have received and analyzed data on more than 2,700 crashes that have led to nine safety recalls involving 4 different companies. While regulations can often be burdensome, they also save lives and improve safety. Without the reporting requirement, it is nearly impossible for individuals to identify and prove a pattern of problems with a vehicle or other product. The NHTSA and its reporting requirements provide crucial safety oversight for American car and truck owners and pedestrians and attempts to limit its oversight are troubling.
Next, we have more on auto safety. The U.S. Department of Safety has announced a rule requiring rear seatbelt reminders to improve seat belt usage for rear seat occupants. The rule will be implemented in 2027. Unfortunately, too many people perceive the back seat as safer and are often reluctant to use safety belts. However, the lawyers at The Law Offices of John Day have personally seen rear seat occupants killed from impact trauma and ejection from the vehicle in a rollover, so if an irritating beep makes people buckle up, we welcome it to avoid tragedy.
Moving on to a different subject, a priest in New Orleans has pled guilty to rape and other sexual abuse and was sentenced to life in prison. According to news reports, decades before, the abuse was reported to a principal, but nothing was done except to threaten the expulsion of the student. The priest’s inappropriate conduct became so widely known in certain circles that he was given a derogatory nickname. Later, the priest admitted in writing to the archdiocese that he had sexually abused multiple children. Despite the admission, the priest was allowed to return to the parish and continue in his position until he retired. If this story does not cause outrage, people are not paying attention.
To be clear, in Tennessee, EVERYONE who has reasonable cause to believe a child is being abused or neglected is legally mandated to report it. You can report anonymously, but you must report. Call 911 or call 877-237-0004.
If you or a loved one needs legal representation for an injury or wrongful death, our award-winning lawyers are here to help.
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