As residents of Tennessee understand, the state has many hilly curving roads. Driving on these roads requires skill and caution. A recent head-on collision in Sumner County shows how ignoring one or both attributes can produce tragic consequences.
The accident happened on Highway 174 near Long Hollow Pike. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a Ford F-150 was traveling east when the driver crossed the centerline while trying to negotiate a sharp curve. The driver of the Ford apparently tried to “straighten” the curve by cutting across the centerline. In so doing, the Ford collided with a Jeep Wrangler headed in the opposite direction.
The Jeep rolled over several times and finally came to rest in the front yard of a house fronting on the road. The driver of the Jeep was female, but the extent of her injuries is unknown. The driver of the F-150 died from the injuries he suffered in the crash.
Post-accident investigations can lead to legal action
In the next few weeks, the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be trying to understand how the collision occurred. Perhaps the most important product of this research will be information that will assist the police in identifying who they believe is the party whose negligence caused the crash. The families of the two drivers may eventually begin pondering whether to bring legal actions to recover damages.
The family of a driver who dies in an accident similar to this one may wish to consider a wrongful death action against another involved driver driver. In such a case, the advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer could be helpful. A knowledgeable attorney can provide an evaluation of the evidence, a tentative conclusion about which party was at fault, and the estimated likelihood of either party recovering damages medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering or, in the case of the family of those who pass away after an accident, damages for wrongful death.