A Tennessee woman is dead after a head-on collision. According to police, the woman was driving westbound when a pickup truck headed eastbound crossed the center line and crashed into her car. The woman is reported to have died at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck was hospitalized in serious condition.
After car accidents such as this one, police conduct an accident investigation and file a report. Police try to determine what happened so that they can try to prevent future accidents and so that prosecutors can decide whether charges should be filed against any person involved in the accident.
When Tennessee residents are injured in car accidents, they can be left with staggering medical expenses, lost wages and other damages. In cases of fatal accidents, the families of the victims are left without that person's income and companionship. When their damages are the result of another driver's negligence, they may be compensated through a personal injury lawsuit.
Drivers act negligently when they fail to exercise the same level of care that a reasonable person would under similar circumstances. Proving that the other party was negligent requires gathering evidence. The police report can be a very important part of that, but it's not the last word. The police have their own concerns when making these reports, and they aren't primarily concerned with assigning liability for the accident. Tennessee residents who file a personal injury lawsuit after a traffic accident may need help conducting a new investigation that will provide the evidence they need to get the compensation they deserve.
Source: WBIR, "Sevierville woman dies in East Knox Co. head-on collision," Sept. 19, 2013