Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on December 8, 2015
Multi-Vehicle Accident Temporarily Closes I-40 West in Nashville
An accident involving four vehicles caused the Tennessee Highway Patrol and emergency response units to close all lanes of Interstate 40 West on Tuesday morning.
According to a report by wkrn.com, the accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. near the Spence Lane exit before I-40 splits with Interstate 24 between mile markers 213 and 214. In addition, wsmv.com reports that during the accident, one vehicle is reported to have overturned, further blocking traffic and increasing delays as responders worked to clear the accident scene.
All of the vehicles involved in the accident were quickly moved to the shoulder of the interstate by responders, and all but one lane of traffic was reopened to commuters by 8 a.m.
The conditions of the drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident and their passengers is unknown at this time, and police are still investigating to determine what caused the accident to occur.
3 Things to Keep in Mind after Interstate Accidents
Being involved in an accident on an interstate can be a frightening and stressful experience. Most stretches of interstates in Tennessee have speed limits of 70 miles per hour, which means most crashes occur at very high speeds. In turn, that can cause vehicles to incur significant damage and both drivers and passengers to suffer serious injuries. If you’re involved in an accident on the interstate in the future, do your best to keep these 3 facts in mind during the immediate aftermath of the collision:
If you were involved in an accident and your vehicle is blocking traffic or putting you in danger due to oncoming traffic, you can move it to a safe location with fear of being held liable for the accident or other legal consequences. In many cases, moving your vehicle out of harm’s way is the safest thing to do after an accident. However, if someone in your vehicle was seriously injured in the crash, don’t move your vehicle until medical responders arrive at the scene to administer aid.
If you’re able to do so, call 911 as soon as possible after the accident and tell the dispatcher as much information as possible. Although others may also call 911, you should never assume that anyone has—always make the call yourself. Stay on the line as long as necessary and give the dispatcher information, including the number of vehicles involved, the severity of injuries suffered by you or your passengers, and where the accident occurred on the interstate.
Even if your vehicle didn’t incur much damage or you didn’t suffer injuries during the accident, you are still required by state law to remain at the scene of the accident until police arrive and file an accident report. Leaving before this takes place is a serious crime, and you may even be charged with a felony if someone was seriously injured as a result of the accident. Stay in or near your vehicle until the responding police officer tells you are free to leave the scene.
All types of car accidents can be traumatic experiences, but because of the high speeds and heavy traffic volume, interstate accidents have the potential to be both the most stressful and the most dangerous. At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville auto accident attorneys know that victims of interstate accidents often experience injuries that cause them to become temporarily or permanently disabled and unable to work for long periods of time.
If you or someone you love was injured in an interstate accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, vehicle repair costs, and other accident-related expenses. Our law firm has 20 years of experience helping innocent victims like you get the money they deserve. Now we’re ready to fight for your family. Dial (615) 200-1111 or complete a free online form today.
