Personal injury and fatality in Tennessee ATV crashes
Many Knoxville residents enjoy the thrills and adventures that come with ATV riding. Even so, there are a number of dangers associated with riding an ATV as these vehicles have a high collision and rollover rate. Dangerous experiences in an ATV can lead to serious personal injury and even death. A 22-year-old man has died and two others were sent to a hospital after such an accident.
Tennessee Highway Patrol reported that the accident occurred on the evening of Dec. 8 in McMinn County. The 22-year-old driver and his passenger were reportedly traveling east along Highway 305 when their Yamaha crashed into another ATV carrying two riders. None of the riders on either of the ATV’s were wearing helmets, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol said that neither vehicle had headlights.
The driver and the passenger of the Yamaha were flown to Erlanger Medical Center as was the passenger of the other ATV. The driver of the Yamaha sadly succumbed to his injuries in the hospital and died the following day. The passenger of the Yamaha was listed in critical condition at press time. The driver of the other ATV was not injured.
There is now a family mourning the loss of one of their own right before the holidays. If driver negligence is found on the surviving driver, the family may choose to file a wrongful death suit in this case. While no amount of compensation can replace a loved one, a wrongful death settlement may assist in funeral and medical expenses accrued as a result of this tragedy.
Source: volunteertv.com, “Rider killed in ATV crash on a highway near Athens,” Dec. 8, 2011