Possible driver negligence in recent Tennessee accident

A Tennessee state official was recently involved in a car accident that claimed the life of a young child. According to reports, the 44-year-old assistant commissioner in the state’s Department of Commerce and Insurance was headed west on Interstate 40 when his vehicle rear ended another one that had stopped due to an accident on the roadway. The investigation is still ongoing as officials work to determine if driver negligence played a part in the accident.

The collision resulted in the death of an 8-year-old boy and injuries to four adults. The assistant commissioner was operating a Jeep when the accident occurred, and it hit a passenger car. Following the initial collision, the car collided with a pickup truck and cable barrier, before coming to a rest on its right-hand side. The child was sitting in the rear of the car, closest to the side that tipped.

Early reports following the accident do not indicate the extent of injuries to the adults present, or which vehicles that they were riding in. So far, no charges have been filed in this accident, though the investigation is continuing. In addition, officials have not released any information regarding any speculation of what caused the assistant commissioner to collide with the other vehicle.

Driver negligence is a common cause for many car accidents. Though in this case the reasons for the accident have yet to be officially determined, this assistant commissioner may find himself facing claims for accountability. The family of the child killed, as well as the individuals who were injured, may seek damages from the driver by way of Tennessee’s personal injury laws. A successfully litigated claim may require the assistant commissioner to compensate the victims for their loss and medical expenses, if the injured parties are able to prove he negligently caused or contributed to the accident.

Source: commercialappeal.com, “Boy, 8, dies in wreck involving state official Bill Giannini,” Dec. 24, 2012