A 22-year-old woman from Memphis was killed early Sunday morning when she was struck by multiple vehicles on Interstate 24 West near the Davidson-Rutherford County line. It was reported that the woman was driving her Nissan Versa eastbound on I-24 with a missing driver’s side tire and driving on the rim for a while, when her car hit the guardrail on the right shoulder on I-24 east. Another driver told police they saw a person laying on the left shoulder of the interstate. At around 4:30 a.m.. a 48-year-old Smyrna man was driving his 2017 Nissan Titan pickup truck westbound on I-24 when he hit the woman in the far-left lane. It appears the woman was hit by several other cars that did not stay at the scene. The driver of the 2017 Nissan Titan pickup truck showed no signs of drug or alcohol impairment.
Multi-vehicle crashes and roadway fatalities are not uncommon with 107 fatal and 9,695 injury accidents in Davidson County near Nashville Tennessee, due to construction, heavy traffic, reckless drivers, intoxicated drivers, distracted drivers, mechanical failure, bad weather and other scenarios where someone is injured or dies. Driver actions taken immediately following a car accident can save lives and are helpful to support legal action for compensation for damages.
Post-Accident Actions.
If you are in an accident near Nashville Tennessee, you should:
Fault.
It is important to understand insurance laws in Tennessee in order to process a claim for vehicle damage or personal injury. Tennessee has an “at fault” insurance system in place, meaning the party found to be legally at fault for the accident is responsible for payment of the damages and injuries suffered by any accident victims. Insurance is required to pay up to a policyholder’s insurance limits.
Tennessee insurance requirements.
In Tennessee, drivers are required to carry liability insurance to cover injuries or property damage from a car accident. Tennessee law requires two types of insurance, bodily injury and property damage. Bodily injury covers any expenses associated with injuries that a driver causes to another motorist, such as medical bills, lost income and the like. Tennessee law requires that each Tennessee motorist carry $25,000 in coverage for each injury or death per accident and $50,000 for total injuries in any single accident. Every motorist is also required to carry $15,000 in property damage coverage for each accident in which the driver is involved.
Statute of Limitations.
Tennessee has a one (1) year statute of limitations for property damage and personal injury claims. This means if a driver, passenger, or passerby is injured or sustains property damage at the hands of a negligent driver, the victim must file a lawsuit within the one (1) year period following the accident.
Seek legal counsel.
If you have been involved in a car accident in Nashville Tennessee, call the Law Offices of George R. Fusner, Jr., an experienced personal injury attorney who can help with your potential claim and settlement to cover damages from a vehicle accident.