Most people in Knoxville may understand that there is almost always an inherent risk when traveling on the areas roads and highways (regardless of whether that travel takes place in a car or on a motorcycle). Yet what many may disagree upon this the degree of responsibility shared between a vehicle’s operator and their passengers.
When two adults travel together in a vehicle, one might assume that the passenger should recognize the need to wear their seat belt and avoid distracting the driver (and, by extension, assume liability should any such action lead to them sustaining injuries in an accident). Yet the reckless and/or negligent behavior of a driver may be next-to-impossible to explain away.
Accident along “the Tail of the Dragon” injures one, kills another
The question of who is liable for an accident can be a complex one, as a recent motorcycle accident in Maryville demonstrates. Authorities reported to the local ABC affiliate that a woman transporting a man on a motorcycle Trike along the popular scenic roadway between Chilhowee Lake and Deals Gap lost control of the vehicle and flipped it off the roadway. They believe the accident to be the result of the woman momentarily taking her eyes off the road and then overcorrecting after her inattentiveness resulted in the trike running into a ditch. She died in the collision; her passenger required treatment at a local hospital.
Seeking compensation of a liable party’s estate
Medical treatment arising from motorcycle accidents like the one described above can be costly, and thus require one to seek compensation from the person responsible for it. One might question the logic in taking action against one who has died (which is what occurred in this case). Yet in such a scenario, compensation can come from a liability party’s estate. Having legal representation to rely on may help one looking to pursue such a claim.