Knox County accident leaves pedestrian dead

A recent pedestrian accident in the western part of Knox County left one person dead.

Authorities say that the driver of a semi struck and killed a pedestrian while the pedestrian was on a city street. The accident happened early in the morning. Authorities are continuing to investigate the accident. They have not announced any charges or citations.

Tennessee motorists have the responsibility to watch out for pedestrians

As with other states, Tennessee law requires motorists to yield to pedestrians who are in crosswalks.

Moreover, while pedestrians are expected also to follow traffic laws and be careful, motorists have a duty to take what steps they can to avoid striking a pedestrian, even if the pedestrian is not in a crosswalk.

What this means is that victims of pedestrian accidents, or their families, should not just give up if they think that they might share some responsibility for the accident.

After a careful investigation, it may become clear that the driver of the vehicle owes the victim compensation for the accident.

When a commercial vehicle is involved, an investigation could include checking a truck’s black box, maintenance logs and other equipment and records.

Pedestrian accidents can prove to be legally complicated

In addition to issues with sorting out who is financially responsible, pedestrian accidents can be complicated for other reasons.

As in this case, when a commercial vehicle is involved, more than one party may be responsible for the loss.

For example, if the driver of the vehicle was a contractor for a trucking company, then it might be possible to get compensation from the insurance carriers of both the driver and the company.

After a pedestrian accident, it is important that victims and their families receive good advice about their legal alternatives.