Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on November 4, 2015
Tennessee Highway Patrol Investigating Crash in Maury County
An SUV accident in Lawrenceburg Highway Tuesday morning has the Tennessee Highway Patrol conducting an investigation to determine what caused the accident to occur.
WKRN.com reports that the accident happened around 7 a.m. yesterday morning when an SUV left the roadway and fell 15 feet before flipping and crashing into trees in a ravine.
The driver of the SUV, a woman in her 30s, was trapped in her vehicle, but was able to use her phone to call 911. Emergency rescue crews were able to determine where the woman’s vehicle was located using GPS and had to cut the door off of her SUV in order to pull her from the wreckage.
The woman suffered cuts and bruises in the accident, but didn’t suffer any serious injuries. She was transported to Maury Regional Medical Center to receive treatment.
Several local emergency crews responded to the accident scene, including the Maury County Fire Department, the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department, and the Summertown Volunteer Fire Department. Because police and the THP are still investigating the accident, further information is unavailable at this time.
What Should You Do During the Immediate Aftermath of an Accident?
It’s important to follow the right steps during the hours and days after an accident, including getting medical attention, telling your insurance company about the accident, and contacting an attorney, but what should you do during the immediate aftermath of an accident when you or your loved ones are injured and need help? The minutes after an accident occurs are crucial for the health and well-being of all victims, and it’s important to take the right steps during this time.
If you or anyone in your vehicle has a cell phone, use it to call 911 as soon as possible—even if you don’t think anyone was seriously injured. Reporting accidents to police is required by law in Tennessee, and it’s better to be safe than sorry in the event of an accident by having trained medical personnel arrive at the scene to treat potential injuries. Stay on the line until the dispatcher is able to communicate your exact location to emergency workers.
If your accident occurred in the path of traffic, move your vehicle to the shoulder of the road and away from other vehicles that might be headed in your direction. Tennessee laws protect auto accident victims from being considered at-fault if they move their vehicles out of harm’s way after accidents. However, if someone was seriously injured, wait until emergency responders arrive before attempting to move your vehicle.
If no one was seriously injured and your vehicle is safely out of the path of oncoming traffic, get out and stand on the shoulder of the road or the sidewalk and wait for police and emergency medical personnel to arrive. This tip is especially important if your vehicle’s engine or gas lines were damaged in the accident, as that could cause your vehicle to catch on fire, putting you and other occupants in serious danger.
Never leave the scene of an accident until police file an accident report—even if you weren’t injured—as doing so is considered a serious crime in Tennessee. Not only is it required by law to allow police to file a report while you’re still at the accident scene, but it can also benefit you when you and your attorney file a claim for compensation.
Your top priority after an accident should always be making sure that you, your family, and the other victims receive the treatment they need for their injuries. That’s why calling 911 right away and waiting for help to arrive is always the best course of action after a car accident.
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, the Columbia car accident attorneys at Matt Hardin Law want to help you get compensation for your accident-related expenses. To find out how we can help you family, contact us today by dialing (615) 200-1111 or completing a free initial consultation form.
