A 26-year-old Morristown man was killed in an accident on westbound Interstate 40 just after 1 a.m. on Nov. 10. According to the report, a Saturn was heading the wrong way on the interstate when it struck a 2005 Toyota Scion head-on near downtown Knoxville and the Interstate 275 northbound ramp. A Volkswagen then struck the Saturn.
The driver of the Saturn was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The four other individuals who were involved in the accident, two in each of the other vehicles, were taken to the UT Medical Center. It was reported that their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. The identification of the man who died was released while the identities of the surviving four were still being withheld at the time that the report was made. Investigators also reported that alcohol may have been a factor, though the investigation was still underway hours after the accident occurred.
When a car accident occurs, those who were injured may be eligible to seek compensation either through their insurance company or through the responsible driver’s insurance. Even if the responsible driver did not survive the accident, injured individuals may still bring personal injury claims against that driver’s estate.
However, insurance companies usually attempt to limit payouts by minimizing or downplaying injuries. A personal injury attorney may be able to aid his or her client by showing the full extent of the injuries and the full extent of the costs associated with the accident. If the insurance company refuses to provide a figure that adequately covers the damages, the attorney may be able to represent the injured party at trial in order to attempt to increase the figure that is awarded.
Source: WBIR, “Police ID’d victim of fatal 1-40 crash overnight Sunday“, November 11, 2013