From 2009 to 2016 (the last full year of analyzed data), the number of pedestrian deaths in the United States spiked 46 percent. During that time, 5,987 people lost their lives in pedestrian accidents and tens of thousands of others were injured. In Tennessee, this same trend can be seen: Continue reading
People often buy insurance on their motor vehicle and think that they have “full coverage.” In fact, many people who have “full coverage” do not have the types of insurance they need and even more frequently do not have the amount of coverage they need.
We suggest that you find your “declarations” page from your vehicle insurance policy and read it in conjunction with the remainder of this post. The declarations page is sent to you with each policy renewal and shows what type of coverage you have for each vehicle insured under the policy. It also shows the cost of each type of coverage.
Here is an explanation of the various types of coverage:
Liability Coverage
Liability coverage is required by law in Tennessee and most other states. Liability insurance exists to help cover damages for injuries to others for which you become legally responsible resulting from a covered accident. In other words, this insurance protects you in the event you cause or are alleged to have caused a wreck that has injured or killed another person. Continue reading
We have a lot to be proud of in the Volunteer State. We make the best whiskey. We are home to the Smokey Mountains, the Vols, the Predators. Nobody does music like our State from country music in Nashville to the blues in Memphis. I could go on and on. But apparently, one thing we stink at is driving – according to a recent study. We have all seen atrocious driving on our streets, highways and interstates, but read on to learn exactly how we became the first-runner-up in this less than esteemed category and who was the winner (or loser in this particular case) Continue reading
According to travel forecasts, 25% of Americans plan to travel for the Labor Day weekend, and 86% will travel by car. Unfortunately, traveling by car is becoming more and more dangerous, especially in Tennessee as we were recently rated the second-worst state in the nation (another blog post to follow on that). But even across the country, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car accidents are on the rise, up roughly 14% in two years. The latest reporting shows more than 40,000 people are losing their lives every year in car accidents, and another 4.6 million are being injured. So if you and your family are planning on being on the roads this Labor Day weekend, here are a handful of important safety reminders: Continue reading
Boating season is still in full swing on Tennessee waters. As for the Days, we wait until the very last minute to pull our boat out of the water for winter so that we can eek out as much time on the water as possible. Unfortunately, this has been a very deadly year on Tennessee lakes and rivers. To date, 21 people have lost their lives. Last year at this time, the number of fatalities was 9. According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, there has been a noticeable uptick in deadly accidents involving small watercraft like canoes and paddle boards. Regardless of the type of watercraft you enjoy, here are some safety reminders to help you close out the boating year safely: Continue reading
By the end of this week, most students in public and private schools in Middle Tennessee will be back to school. Whether you are happy or sad about that, here are some tips for keeping children safe this year and to also make sure you do not violate Tennessee law. Continue reading
The Brentwood Police Department’s accident data shows that between 2012 and 2016 the number of crashes in Brentwood increased by an incredible 60%. Brentwood is not alone in seeing an increase in the number of car crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported this is a trend nationwide. While Brentwood’s population has grown slightly during the same time period, the biggest growth year was only 2.47%., and last year Brentwood’s growth was only .59%. Of course, non-residents use Brentwood streets too but traffic counts show the number of cars on major Brentwood thoroughfares only increased 8% between 2012 and 2017. So what is the cause of the alarming rise in accidents? Continue reading
At The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., we have two intake specialists, Penny Whitaker and Lauren Bates. When people call into the offices for a free consultation, Lauren and Penny take the basic accident information for a free review by one of our award-winning attorneys. Let me say, Penny and Lauren do a great job; they understand that when people call our office they are often confused about their rights and options, scared about what the future may bring and looking for help. And, we desperately want to help. But all too often, we can’t and that is where the disappointment comes in. This is never truer than when someone did do something wrong and injuries or death resulted. Let me explain. Continue reading
Every single day, an attorney at The Law Offices of John Day, P.C. has to tell a client they are not going to receive any money for their injuries or the death of a loved one or they are going to receive a lot less than they should. Every. Single. Day. And, we hate it. Sometimes, we have to tell them this simply because they do not have a case. In other words, there was a terrible accident but no one is to blame under the law. But more often than not, we have to tell people they are not going to recover or they are going to recover substantially less than they should because there is no insurance or not enough insurance.
While you can’t make other people buy insurance, you can still protect yourself from people and companies who either do not have it or do not have enough. And, of course, you can review your own insurance to make sure you are protected in the event you make a mistake and cause an accident. Here are 5 incredibly important questions you should ask yourself, and more importantly, your insurance agent: Continue reading
Dog ownership can be terribly expensive. Our King Charles Cavalier, Lincoln, or President Lincoln if you are not on familiar terms, has a super-sensitive digestive system, so in addition to being regulars at our vet’s office, he eats prescription dog food and often needs a pill to calm his stomach. A friend of a friend just paid $4,000 to have her dog’s knee repaired after he tore his ACL.
Unfortunately, dogs are costing their owners and insurers even larger sums thanks to a nationwide increase in dog bite claims. Last year alone, dog bite claims accounted for a whopping one-third of all homeowners’ liability claims and totaled nearly $700 million dollars. In addition, the severity of dog bite injuries is increasing as too are the amount of the payouts (either via settlement or court judgments). So what should responsible dog owners do to protect their self and, just as importantly, others? Continue reading
