Legal Question in Traffic Law in Tennessee

Wrongful Death

On march 10 2004 on interstate 81 in Tenn. my closest freind lost both of her children in a car accident. She asked me to find out some answers.The childrens father, stepmother and both children were in a 98 saturn and had stopped behind another tractor trailer on I 81 northbound, there was another pickup truck behind them. A tractor trailer was also traveling on I 81 northbound and failed to stop for the accident and flipped the pickup out of the way proceeding to run over the saturn killing all the ocupants, no one else was seriously injured. There have been many excuses as to why, here are some of them: the driver could not speak english well so he did'nt hear about the wreck on the cb, he only had his cdl for 1 year, he could'nt see around the turn, the sun blinded him( there was no sun via the pictures from the scene. What steps need to be taken, who gets sued,there have not been charges filed pending drug test but is this a worth while persuit. It is very hard to trust a lawyer at a time like this as it seems she gets mail every day from one and they all seem to be just in it for the money. Can you help us or should I say guide us in the right direction?


Asked on 3/13/04, 12:02 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Wrongful Death

Your friend should engage the services before too much longer of a Tennessee lawyer competent to pursue wrongful death and whatever related civil actions may be applicable against all of the actors who may be culpable in this unfortunate scenario which, obviously would include not only the linguistically challenged operator of the tractor trailer who, apparently, precipitated the deadly collision but his(hopefully)deep-pocketed and very well insured employer who presumably assigned him to operate this bone-crushing vehicle in this part of the Volunteer State.

The attorney & counsellor at law whom your friend selects for this task will approach his work calmly and with deliberation, waiting for the authorites to sort matters out as to apparent blame and the filing of formal criminal as well as traffic charges against the person(s) responsible, while he quietly sets to work to prepare matters for civil court.

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Answered on 3/13/04, 7:38 pm


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