Articles Posted in Bicycle Accidents

Not all personal injury cases involve straightforward facts and circumstances, in which one party clearly committed a wrong and the other party was obviously injured. In many accident cases, multiple parties make errors, mistakes, or bad decisions that lead to the ultimate accident and injuries. And in those cases, determining who is at fault, and who should be held liable, can become very complicated. This is illustrated in a recent Tennessee bike accident case decided by the Court of Appeals, in which a variety of actions led to the unfortunate death of one biker involved.

In this recent accident case, W.C. was killed during an accident involving his local road biking group. On the morning of the accident, W.C. was riding in a pace line formation with his biking friends, including M.N. and G.L. M.N.’s front tire hit G.L.’s back tire, for reasons that were in dispute, which caused M.N. to crash and led to a chain reaction down the pace line, until eventually W.C., in an effort to avoid the crash, swerved and ended up going head first over his bike. He was rendered quadriplegic and died several weeks later.

W.C.’s wife sued M.N. for W.C.’s death, and M.N. named G.L. as an additional possible defendant under the doctrine of comparative fault. W.C.’s wife then joined G.L. as an additional defendant. At trial, M.N. presented evidence that he had only run into G.L. because G.L. slowed down suddenly and unexpectedly. G.L. then presented evidence that he had not slowed down suddenly, but M.N. had failed to follow carefully and had run into his bike. Both sides presented expert testimony and the testimony of witnesses. Both. M.N. and G.L. then moved for summary judgment.

When bringing a case in court, all parties to a personal injury dispute have the opportunity to request a trial by jury. This means that the plaintiff can initially request a jury, or, if he or she fails to do so, a defendant can request a jury trial as well. Determining whether a judge or jury is better suited to hear your case is a complicated question that requires a careful evaluation of many factors. While juries may be sympathetic to plaintiffs who have been seriously injured or faced significant trauma, they can also be a risky proposition, since it is not always clear what they will believe or where they will come out. Indeed, even in the best of cases, juries can be unpredictable when a plaintiff’s attorney is unable to skillfully deal with them.

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Tennessee is one of a significant number of states that currently have a mandatory motorcycle helmet law.  This law requires that all drivers and passengers of motorcycles wear a helmet while the motorcycle is in operation, for their own safety and the safety of others. The law, Section 55-9-302 of the Tennessee Code, requires not only that passengers and drivers wear a helmet, but also that the helmet comply with the federal safety regulations and standards for helmets.  Certain individuals are exempted from Tennessee’s mandatory helmet requirements, including people riding on a motorcycle with an enclosed cab or one on which three wheels are touching the ground.  In all other instances, a failure to wear a motorcycle helmet can be charged as a class C misdemeanor, resulting in fines or up to 30 days in jail.

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Auto accidents can happen to even the most cautious drivers. Maybe another driver ran a red light and hit you; maybe a multi-vehicle accident has left insurance coverage in question. These are just two examples of the types of auto accident cases taken on by the Nashville Accident Lawyers at the Law Office of Eric Beasley.

How a Nashville Accident Attorney Can Help

You might not know what to expect the first time you visit a lawyer’s office. To start with, you’ll be asked to describe the situation you’re concerned about. This interview will take place before any papers are signed so you won’t be held to any obligation if the Nashville Accident Lawyer is unable to assist. You’ll also be informed of steps involved in filing a car accident claim. This will give you an idea of how quickly your case can be resolved. If everything is agreeable to you, a contract will be available for you to sign. You’ll receive a copy of the document for your own records; it is part of your attorney’s legal responsibility to provide you with a copy of the contract so you can refer back to it in the future.

A father of four was killed on Wednesday when he, his wife and three of their children were riding bikes on a road near their home in Coffee County on Wednesday evening. The accident occurred when the driver of a van was blinded by the afternoon sun and struck the man from behind, killing him almost instantly. His wife was hospitalized for neck and back injuries, and their 10-year-old daughter was treated for minor injuries. The other two children were uninjured in the crash.

Unfortunately, cyclists and pedestrians involved in motor vehicle accidents often suffer serious or fatal injuries. Many of these accidents are caused by negligent or reckless conduct on the part of motor vehicle drivers. If you have been injured in an accident that resulted from the negligence of another, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries. An experienced Murfreesboro auto accident attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Free Consultation with a Murfreesboro Auto Accident Attorney