Tupelo car wreck victim blessed “that the doctors and nurses were able to preserve my life”

My friends and family know that I’m not just a some crazy personal injury lawyer on a mission to help my clients. I’m also a really big Mississippi State University fan. And recently one of my favorite beat writers, Brad Locke, who cover the Bulldogs was involved in an extremely bad accident in Tupelo.

As Brad writes on his blog, his injuries were pretty severe and life threatening. But what I found inspiring was how he viewed this accident and how he actually felt that it was a “blessing”. His posts, which can be read in their entirety here and here, offered insight into his feelings and how he and his family dealt with this terrible accident.

I found his posts both heart warming and genuine. I wish Brad all the best in his recovery and hope that he is enjoying his time back with his family and friends after his stint in the hospital. And I hope that those of you who have been injured may find a little glimmer of hope in what Brad has written.

Going through a car wreck and suffering a major injury is difficult. But when you work with people who are similar to Brad it makes all the difference. And it reaffirms my feelings on why I don’t take small cases from people just looking to make a quick buck when they should be counting their blessings that they weren’t seriously injured. I’d much rather work with someone who truly needs my help and who understands a life that is “blessed”.

If you have been hurt in any type of accident anywhere in Mississippi or Tennessee call me at 901-754-1340. Or get your free copy of my book by clicking here. I guarantee it will be worth your time.

Major Accident on I-55 in Memphis today

If you’ve even thought about driving in Memphis today you probably already know about the major accident that’s blocking I-55 in south Memphis near Stateline Road.

According to the Commercial Appeal a tanker truck carrying highly flammable material was caught up in a wreck with a Chevy Illumina and Jeep Liberty a little past midnight last night.

Unfortunately there were injuries with this car wreck. Both a man and a woman who have yet to be identified were taken to the Med in critical condition. Let’s all pray that their injuries were minor and they will fully recover.

As always if you have any questions about an accident or car wreck that you have been involved in please call our law office here in Memphis. My team of lawyers and I will be happy to help you in any way that we can. Just call us at 901-754-1340.

Are we the best personal injury lawyers in Memphis?

I don’t know – But our clients seem to love us. And here are a couple of the reasons why.

The message that I send is very different from each and every one of the personal injury law firms who you see advertising on television or billboards around Memphis. First of all I don’t want thousands of clients a year, that’s not the way I work.

My ideal and normal client is someone that’s a good person who works hard and who has unfortunately had something terrible happen to them. Most of my clients don’t even want to “sue” anyone. They just want to feel better and make sure that the insurance companies and their adjusters don’t take advantage of them. That’s where we step in and help.

Secondly, I try to give away as much information as possible to accident and injury victims so that they understand what’s going on. I give every person who calls my office the tools to try to handle their case themself. You can get this package, my Memphis Accident Book, by clicking here. I want you to be informed as well as you possibly can.  Other injury lawyers and accident law firms here in Memphis don’t do this. They simply want to sign you up immediately so that they can begin making money off you and your injuries.

But do you want to know a little secret? Many times you don’t even need a lawyer for your case. Especially if your case is relatively minor with only a couple of thousand dollars worth of medical bills or less.  I’ve had countless potential clients who I have told “Don’t hire me – you can do just as well on your own without paying my fee”. Try finding another lawyer in Memphis who will tell you this!

But sometimes you really do need a good injury or accident lawyer. This is especially true for major injuries with lot’s of medical bills and damage. You need to hire someone to make sure that you are taken care of properly and receive every dime you should receive, because the insurance companies will absolutely eat you up and spit you out if you don’t have the absolute best lawyer in Memphis that you can find.

That’s when we step in to help you. And the insurance companies know that when they deal with me and my team of lawyers that they are in for a fight. That’s because we don’t take frivolous and questionable lawsuits. They know that when we’re involved it’s a major case.

These are just a few of the things that make us different, and it’s why some of our clients have told us that they thought we are the best lawyers in Memphis.

Call me today at 901-754-1340 and I’ll help you determine what’s best for your accident, injury or worker’s comp case. Even if that means telling you NOT to hire me!

My Car is Wrecked! What Now? (Part 3)

Let’s wrap up our series on property damage with a final few bits of information about the last stages of dealing with either a totaled vehicle or obtaining repairs on a still-drivable car:

9.  Keep in mind that sometimes it’s better to have your car repaired rather than totaled. For example, if you owe $10,000 on your loan but the car is only worth $7,000, it is not the insurance company’s responsibility to pay off your loan.

10.  Find out if you have bought GAP insurance when you purchased your car. GAP insurance can help you fill in the difference if you owe more on your car than what it’s worth.  There are a lot of stipulations with GAP insurance, so we recommend that if you are in an accident and your vehicle is totaled, go ahead and file your GAP claim immediately – it can take up to three months to process.

11.  If your car is a total loss, you have the option to “retain salvage.” This means the insurance company will pay you the Fair Market Value of your car minus a salvage amount.  Salvaging a car means you can keep your vehicle, but the title will change to “salvaged-rebuilt.”  This can be a good option if you own an older car that are already paid for and didn’t sustain much damage.

Hopefully that answered some of your initial questions about dealing with property damage after a car wreck.  If you are having difficulties at any part of this process, we urge you to contact an attorney that may be able to ease the way for you!

My Car is Wrecked! What Now? (Part 2)

Continuing from our last post, here are the next few steps you will have to go through when dealing with property damage after a car wreck:

5.  Get the determination from the appraiser if your car is a “total loss” or if it is repairable. If it is repairable, you have the right to choose where you wish your car to be repaired.  The insurance company should cover towage costs if you need to move the car to another body shop from the one it was initially towed to.  A body shop cannot start repairs without authorization from you.  Make sure to stay in contact with the shop as repairs progress.

6.  If the car is being repaired, rebuilt parts are only acceptable if they come with a separate warranty. Make sure to insist that the shop warranty the parts (and labor) if they are insisting on using rebuilt parts.

7.  The day you are informed your repairs are complete is likely the day the insurance company will cease providing a rental car for you. Make sure you confirm this so you are not left without transportation.

8.  Insurance companies total vehicles when the damage to the vehicle is equal to 75% of the value of the vehicle. Once an offer is made to you by the insurance company on your vehicle, they can cut off your rental car.  Remember, you are entitled to the Fair Market Value of your car – the best resources to determine that value are the NADA Used Car Value Guide or the Kelly Blue Book.

Watch for our third and last post in this series tomorrow as we discuss the final few issues you may come across when dealing with your property damage.  To be continued…

My Car is Wrecked! What Now?

The first steps to take after a car accident are the most crucial.  Of course, injuries should take priority over anything, but if you are dealing with property damage and are physically able, the following few actions will help you move forward in dealing with your car wreck:

1. Contact both your insurance company and the insurance company of the other driver(s). No matter who was at fault, everyone needs to know in case one party or the other isn’t covered by insurance.  And your insurance company may be able to help fill in some gaps that another underinsured motorist’s carrier may not be able to cover.
2. Get photographs of your vehicle prior to the appearance of the appraiser. Every angle, the license plate, the odometer, and the car’s interior are all important – they may have to support you later on as insurance companies try to dispute your claim.
3. If your car is drivable, make sure to get estimates from at least two body shops. This will help you get a better understanding of the true total damage to your vehicle.
4. Request a rental vehicle if your car is non-drivable. You are entitled to one from the day of the accident until either a. an offer is made on your total-loss car or b. your car repairs are done.  You are not entitled to a rental car if your car is still drivable.  If authorization on a rental car is dragging, you are entitled to “loss of use,” even if you have another car at your disposal.

Check our next post for the next steps in the process of dealing with property damage as the result of a car accident!  To be continued….

What do you do if you were the passenger who was hurt in a car wreck?

In light of one of my recent posts where I wrote about a passenger who was killed in an accident I thought I would discuss the matter of what to do if you were hurt in a car wreck and you were the passenger

For this post I’m going to use two different examples.

Here’s Scenario #1:

You and your co-worker are carpooling. He was late to pick you up and now he’s driving like a mad man to make it to work on time. As you get near an intersection the light in front of you turns yellow, but your co-worker isn’t about to slow down. Instead he guns the accellorator and tries to zip through the light, which is now red. Unfortunately he didn’t care to notice the oncoming Suburban that hammers your side of the car. 

You are transported by ambulance to the closest hospital where you are treated for lumbar fractures, lacerated pancreas and TBI (traumatic brain injury). You’re doctor’s bill quickly climb and before you’re released, two weeks later, you owe $300,000 in medical bills and don’t have any insurance.

What do you do?

In this situation your co-worker would be the “at-fault” driver. He was negligent in running the red light and causing your injuries. If not for him and his negligence you would not be in the situation you are right now.

And don’t worry about the fact that you are suing “him”. None of us want to cause our family and friends to be pushed into debt because of a lawsuit we bring against them, right? But don’t worry,your lawyer will not be going after their personal funds. Your lawyer will be attacking the co-worker’s insurance. We don’t want to take anyone’s home away from them!

Now forScenario #2.

Let’s assume the same facts as above except this time your co-worker was driving properly, but the driver who hit you ran the red light.

In this case you’re still the passenger who was hurt in a car wreck but this time you would bring a lawsuit against the driver of the Suburban that hit you.

Why?

You would sue the other driver because now he is the one who was at fault. The other driver was the person who was negligent and who caused the wreck, not your co-worker.

In Either Scenario:

The first thing you should do is find the best memphis personal injury lawyer you can find. They would help you with the process of bringing a lawsuit against your co-worker to recover damages that would allow you to pay off your medical bills, receive money for your lost wages due to missed work, and make sure you recieve enough funds to help you fully recover from any physical problems.

Call my office at 901-754-1340 if you have any questions that you would like to ask me.

Another deadly accident on Walnut Grove in Memphis

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Shantwan Jackson. Shantwan was student at Houston High School in Germantown, TN and by all accounts of those who knew him, he was a fantastic kid.

He was the passenger in an accident that occurred this morning on east Walnut Grove road, near Houston Levee, in the Cordova area of Memphis.  According to police reports Mr. Jackson was a passenger in a 2000 Camaro that was driven by 17-year-old Tyler Anderson.

Apparently Mr. Anderson was passing other vehicles when he lost control of the Camaro, causing it to skid into opposing traffic and be struck by a Land Rover driven by 38-year-old Kimberly Smith.

Mr. Anderson is still in critical condition at The Med and Ms. Smith was transported to Baptist Hospital.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was involved in this horrible car wreck this morning in Memphis.

And as a father of two children I deeply pray for the family of Mr. Jackson. I can not imagine the pain and loss they are going through at this very moment. The love parents have for their children is hard to explain, and impossible to put a value on. I’m sure the Jackson’s will never “get over” this loss, but I do hope that the future brings them peace.

The Commercial Appeal has more details of the accident HERE.

Physician, Heal Thyself? Memphis Police Officer Arrested for Drunk Driving

You would think that a police officer who is aware of the dangers of drunk driving would avoid such behavior like the plague.  Not so, it seems. A Memphis police officer has been arrested this week for driving under the influence and reckless driving after he caused an accident.

According to news reports, the accident occurred on highway 385 this Tuesday at about 2:50 in the morning. Major Prentiss Jolly was driving a pickup truck when he suddenly changed lanes without warning, and side swiped another car. According to police officers as they were talking to Jolly, they detected the odor of alcohol on his breath. Jolly was asked to submit to a field sobriety test, and not surprisingly refused. He was immediately arrested, and charged with driving under the influence, public intoxication and refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test and reckless driving.

Jolly has been with Memphis police since 1989. However, this doesn’t seem to have been his first brush with the law.  In 1990, he refused a breathalyzer test at a road block in Kentucky.

As a Memphis personal injury lawyer, I must confess some disappointment at Jolly’s conduct. As a member of Memphis’ finest, Jolly has no excuses for his behavior. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident he was involved in, but every year, thousands of people are killed nationwide in drunk driving accidents caused by people too irresponsible to understand that they are a danger to everybody else on the street.

Last year, 1,035 people were killed in traffic accidents in Tennessee. Out of these, 327 fatalities occurred in accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. We expect our police officers not just to crack down on intoxicated drivers and keep them off the streets, but also to set an example for the general motoring public. Memphis car accident lawyers, who frequently come across victims of drunk driving accidents, will have no sympathy for this disgraced officer.

Tennessee Drivers are 50% More Likely to Die on Rural Roads

Do you like to drive on Tennessee’s beautiful country roads? Then you better make sure you are paying attention. Fifty percent more people die on rural roads  than on urban roads such as we have here Memphis and other cities.

It’s a fact that in Tennessee, more numbers of people are killed every year in accidents on rural roads than on urban roads. According to the NHTSA, 607 fatal accidents were recorded on rural roads last year, while in urban roads, that number was just 428.  That is a staggering difference in fatality rates. Especially when you take into account the fact that there are far fewer drivers on rural roads than there are on urban roads.

Tennessee seems to share this distinctive urban rural-divide with our neighbor Georgia, but that state has a much narrower gap between rural and urban accidents deaths – 700 on rural roads, and 687 on urban roads last year.

There are several reasons that contribute to this alarming divide.

• One major factor is the low rates of seat belt usage in these areas.  While drivers in Memphis and surrounding areas have a seat belt usage rate of 85 percent, the rate in rural areas is just between 60 and 65 percent.
• Drivers on rural roads also tend to be overconfident, because they have been driving on these roads all their lives. This could lead to a sense of complacency, which could be fatal in a motorist.
• Rural roads also tend to be poorly designed, with sharp curves that may take motorists by surprise.
• Authorities also blame the high fatality rate on speeding.  These back roads are not designed for traveling at high speeds.

What can be done to lower this high number of rural car fatalities? The Governor‘s Office of Highway Safety and Tennessee Department of Transportation say that they will soon implement education campaigns to increase awareness about seat belt use. And there are also plans to paint yellow stripes to warn motorists about sharp curves ahead.

These plans sound good, but will they really work? I grew up in rural Mississippi and can tell you from experience that I knew way too many people who where seriously hurt in car wrecks. What was the main reason – alcohol.

I wish that I had the stats to see if most of these fatalities occurred on Friday and Saturday nights, and the average age of the victims. The weekend entertainment in a small town usually consists of jumping in a car or truck with your buddies and drinking a few cold ones. No good decisions or outcomes occur from this.

The answer to solve this problem? It’s not as easy as a few public service announcements saying you need to wear a seat belt. The only way this will be solved is when poeple decide to act responsibly. And as long as there are people who are looking just to have a good time, that’s probably not going to happen.

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