Posted in Car Accident,Tennessee Accident Law on August 14, 2017
A 27-year-old woman from Smyrna, Tennessee, was killed when her vehicle was struck by a vehicle belonging to the Arrington Fire Department last week.
Per a report by WKRN.com, the crash occurred Thursday night in Nolensville, Tennessee, at around 6 p.m. at Williams Road and Nolensville Road.
An investigation by the Nolensville Police Department revealed that after being struck by the fire department’s vehicle, the woman’s car was pushed into a parked construction vehicle that was on the side of the road, while the fire department vehicle struck a utility pole.
A firefighter in the fire department vehicle suffered injuries and was transported to a local hospital to receive treatment. The female victim was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to receive treatment, but she was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the accident, and no additional information has been released.
What Risks Do Accident Victims Face after Crashes?
Being involved in an auto accident is bad enough, as it can cause you to suffer serious injuries and severely damage your vehicle. But for some victims, the dangers they face are just beginning in the seconds or minutes after a crash—especially if the accident occurred on a high-speed roadway or in dense traffic.
Some of the most prominent risks that crash victims face in the immediate aftermath of their accidents include:
A common scenario that can result in severe and often life-threatening injuries involves vehicles being T-boned or struck head-on when they get pushed into oncoming traffic. This can happen when a vehicle is waiting to turn left and is rear-ended by another vehicle. The force of the collision can cause the vehicle to be propelled into the path of other vehicles, putting occupants at risk of a serious collision.
Whether they’re still inside their vehicles or they’ve exited their vehicles, victims can be severely injured by traffic traveling in the path of the accident scene. In many cases, drivers simply don’t have enough time to react when crashes occur around them, and they may collide with vehicles that are stopped due to accidents that just happened. Victims also may be struck by passing vehicles if they exit their cars near busy roadways.
Although modern vehicles are designed to crumple in a manner that keeps drivers and passengers out of harm’s way as much as possible, safety designs can’t completely protect occupants in the event of accidents. In some cases, occupants can even become trapped inside their vehicles and unable to exit under their own power. That can be life-threatening, especially when they’re bleeding heavily or at-risk due to an engine fire or smoke inhalation.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville auto accident attorneys know that some victims of initial accidents suffer even worse injuries when they’re involved in secondary accidents that can occur minutes or even seconds later. Wearing your seat belt and staying inside your vehicle after an accident until help arrives can help you avoid serious injuries. However, it’s ultimately up to other drivers to approach crash scenes cautiously and to reduce their speed as they drive near damaged vehicles and accident victims.
If you or someone you know was hurt in a crash that was caused by negligence, including a driver’s failure to slowdown or failure to pay attention to the road near an accident scene, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. Our legal team has three decades of experience fighting for the rights of injured auto accident victims, and we know what it takes to win. Get in touch with us today by dialing (615) 200-1111 or completing a free online form.