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]]>Throughout the process, Steve and his staff helped with every step. They even helped me with refinancing my mortgage, and the paperwork, without even having the divorce decree. The entire staff, including Lisa, his paralegal, are amazing. Steve was very professional and prepared—he had a strategy for every step of the way. He even helped me see and understand things I didn’t want to face at the time that proved beneficial. They turned a divorce that could have been very messy into something manageable.
They say there is no winning in divorce, but I beg to differ. He got my son back. All I wanted was 50/50 custody of my son, and that’s what I got. Although I didn’t think it would happen, Steve knew from day one that it was possible. It ended up being the best-case scenario. An agreement was worked out with my wife to settle it and it enabled my son to stay in the only home he has ever known and his school without going to court.
There are people blessed with what they do, and Steve and his team go above and beyond. Divorce is very hard on children, but the way Steve handled it made it a lot easier. He understood it’s all about the child. And he’s a family guy. I knew he would be the right person for the process. It was very emotional to finally have my son back in my home. Steve did 100% what he said he was going to do and not many people do that.
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]]>The post Rosalie W. Testimonial appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>In January of last year, I tripped at an apartment complex on an uneven surface that was carelessly left unmarked and obstructed from my view without any caution tape or warning sign. I suffered a fractured left wrist, head, back and knee injuries, and severe facial bruising. I had pain for 3 to 4 weeks, and it took a total of 8 weeks to heal. I experienced forgetfulness at work due to a concussion. I’m an avid walker but didn’t feel safe walking for a month due to the injuries.
I showed a family member some pictures of where I fell, and we agreed that the uneven surface could be dangerous for others too. At that time, I also began receiving emails from my insurance company asking if someone else was responsible for my fall. The family member recommended attorney Mark Floyd with Pryor, Priest & Harber. I decided to call Mark Floyd because I didn’t want anyone else to trip and fall and have to go through the pain and suffering I experienced with my injuries. Plus, I felt my insurance company shouldn’t have to pay for my medical care for something that was not my fault. Mark Floyd sued the business to cover the cost my insurance company had paid for my medical expenses. To my surprise, I also received money to compensate me for my care which I didn’t expect!
Mr. Floyd was wonderful to work with. He was very direct, which I appreciated. He kept in touch with me. He advised me on the status of the case and what was happening. The situation was nerve-racking, but Mr. Floyd made it easy. I saw him in July and had the settlement completed by December.
I feel relieved. I’m so happy my insurance company was reimbursed and that I received something I didn’t expect. I hope this motivates the negligent business to fix the uneven surface so that no one else suffers a painful injury like me.
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]]>The post What happens after an amputation? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>Having a basic knowledge of amputation might help you identify your next steps. Setting realistic goals for your recovery can give you the opportunity to live a happy and successful life despite your condition.
A situation so severe, that you end up needing an amputation, can leave you feeling fearful of the future. Losing a limb might feel like the end of your life as you once envisioned. According to John Hopkins Medicine, traumatic injuries cause nearly 50% of amputations. Because your situation is entirely unexpected, you may feel lost about what to do next.
Learning about your condition can improve your understanding of its impact on your body, health, and life. Staying educated might improve your outlook and your resolve to heal. You can also help others learn more about amputation so they too, can help you reach your goals.
Look for a support group. Connect with individuals who might have undergone a similar procedure. Read about amputees who have successfully accomplished their goals. When you rely on the encouragement of others, set goals for your recovery and your future.
A traumatic injury can introduce significant challenges from a financial, physical and mental standpoint. If your condition results because of someone’s negligence, taking legal action might alleviate some of the damages you have to deal with. With the right strategy and a strong legal team, you may have the chance to recover compensatory damages.
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]]>The post What are signs of a lack of attentiveness on the road? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>When other people on the road look away from oncoming cars or do not check before turning, you may wonder what you can do to notice these signs. Learning about signs of distracted driving can help you stay safe on the road.
According to the United States Department of Transportation, if you notice someone in a car near you continually taking their hands off the wheel in order to pick up food or a phone, then this could be the start of distracted driving. If you try to turn onto another road, this person could ignore your signal and proceed as normal without realizing this could cause a crash.
Having both hands on the wheel at all times is important for keeping control of the vehicle. This lack of attention leads to sideswiping and other preventable accidents. Even simple distractions such as opening a drink with one hand can lead to problems.
If someone is attempting to put on mascara or is twisting around in their seat to talk to a passenger, their attention is not fully on the road. Wild hand gestures or a lack of concentration on the other cars around them are other signs of distracted driving.
Actions such as using cigarettes or trying to calm a crying baby also involve a person looking away from where other drivers are. When you begin to notice these signs of distraction, you can better pinpoint the source of car crashes.
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]]>The post What should you do if your tire blows out? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>After an accident, many drivers benefit from understanding how to prevent future collisions. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself after a blowout.
Most of the time, tires blow out because of underinflation. If your air pressure stays too low, the tires can flex beyond their normal limits. As the rubber flexes, it heats up and the rubber separates from the tire’s cord and fabric reinforcement.
Drivers have a higher likelihood of having a tire blowout when driving at higher speeds, particularly on the interstate. In stop-and-go traffic, you do not build up much heat, so you have fewer chances of a blowout.
If you hear a loud boom while driving, try to stay as calm as possible. A lot of people instinctively step on the brake. Unfortunately, when you hit the brake, your wheels lock up and you can lose complete control of your vehicle. Instead, accelerate a little and steer as straight as you can. After accelerating, begin to slow down by lifting off the accelerator.
When you manage to pull over, turn your emergency lights on immediately. Do not try to change the tire unless you have room to do so safely. Often, you may not have room when on the interstate.
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]]>The post What is the most dangerous highway in Tennessee? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>Though driving in a car always presents a certain threat, some roads have proven more dangerous than others. I-40 in East Tennessee saw many crashes between 2001 and 2011 of which 97 resulted in a death.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, seven of the eight most dangerous miles of I-40 are in Knox County. Contributing factors causing wrecks include traffic flow, distractions such as phone use and social media and failure to pay attention. Another element that adds to the danger of driving on I-40 is the congestion. With so many cars in one area, accidents are bound to happen.
While there are no guarantees of safety, driving cautiously can help. This means leaving ample room between your vehicle and the one in front of you and checking your mirrors and over your shoulder before switching lanes.
Additionally, you must refrain from using your phone as you drive. You can set most phones to a driving mode to automatically let others know that you cannot respond because you are operating a car. Lastly, taking a few seconds to buckle your seatbelt and request your passengers to buckle up can make a huge difference in the event that you are in a wreck.
I-40 is a dangerous highway, but if you live in the area it is tough to avoid. Drive safely and remember to fasten your seatbelt before hitting the road.
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]]>The post What are punitive damages, and when are they awarded? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>In cases involving more egregious behavior, the court may award punitive damages. However, the circumstances must meet specific requirements.
Compensatory damages refer to the economic and non-economic losses associated with a personal injury case. For example, if you suffered injuries in a car accident, you may file a claim to recover the cost of medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. Recovery of those damages compensates you for the financial, physical, and emotional losses associated with the injuries.
Punitive damages do not compensate for any tangible or intangible losses. The court orders payment of punitive damages as a form of punishment expected to deter the defendant from similar behavior in the future.
Negligent actions, such as standard carelessness, are not enough to warrant punitive damages. However, if the defendant acted with complete disregard for the lives and safety of others, the court will likely order them to pay punitive damages. For example, a car accident caused by distracted driving, such as looking at the phone, shows negligent behavior and warrants payment of compensatory damages. A car accident caused by a drunk driver displays gross negligent behavior and warrants payment of punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.
An award of punitive damages in a personal injury case is rare. However, the circumstances surrounding every personal injury case are different and require special consideration.
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]]>The post How do crashes relate to drowsy driving? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>But how do crashes and drowsy driving correlate? What is the tie between the two, and what determines how much of a risk drowsy driving poses?
NHTSA looks into the impact of drowsy driving. First, it is important to understand that drowsiness is more than just simply feeling a little tired. True drowsy driving can easily result in the driver nodding off without meaning to, or engaging in microsleep. This involves falling asleep for brief periods of up to three seconds. These are completely uncontrollable and a driver cannot predict when they will occur.
This might not sound like a big deal until it comes to freeway driving speed versus distance. The average driver on a freeway travels fast enough to cover the length of a football field in five seconds. This means that a three-second microsleep is enough to cover almost an entire football field’s worth of space.
Needless to say, it is all too possible to crash into other cars in that time. It is also possible to veer off the road entirely, or into oncoming traffic, which can lead to often fatal and serious head-on collisions.
Drowsy drivers cannot react to dangers quickly or prevent accidents from happening. Because of the risks that drowsiness poses, it makes drowsy driving a huge problem for all drivers.
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]]>The post How does drowsiness contribute to crashing? appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>Why is it that drowsiness is such a problem? And why do people tend to treat it so differently from other, similar issues?
The NHTSA discusses the way drowsiness impacts crash statistics. First of all, drowsiness actually affects the body in a way similar to intoxication. Drivers will experience slowed reflexes, a lowered problem-solving capability, trouble recognizing and reacting to dangers, and a reduction in speed both physically and mentally.
In fact, officers often pull over drowsy drivers on suspicion of drunk driving because of how haphazardly they behave on the road. However, as they do not have a BAC above the limit, police officers will often let these drivers go.
Many experts speculate that this type of distracted driving does not get as much attention because almost everyone has engaged in it at least once in their life. No one gets a perfect night of sleep every single time, but everyone must commute to work in the morning. Some people simply consider drowsy driving in the morning as an inevitability, rather than a danger to avoid.
On top of that, many people have driven while drowsy before and made it through the drive without issue. This creates a false sense of security, which can lead a driver into believing they can drive drowsy without issue. In reality, all it takes is one mistake to ruin or end a life.
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]]>The post NHTSA’s annual report reveals some alarming trends appeared first on Pryor Priest & Harber.
]]>Because many Americans worked from home for much of 2020, one would expect there to be fewer traffic fatalities that year. Still, the NHTSA report reveals some alarming trends in driver behaviors that likely caused the uptick in traffic fatalities. These behaviors continue to put the lives of all Tennesseans in jeopardy.
Many Americans seem to be virtually incapable of following posted speed limits, as excessive speed played a role in many fatal motor vehicle accidents in 2020. Put simply, the faster a vehicle is traveling, the greater the chances one of its occupants will die or suffer a catastrophic injury in a crash.
Some drivers continue to endanger others by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Just as speed factored into many of the fatal car accidents in 2020, impaired driving remained a leading cause of these crashes.
In 2019, approximately 91% of Americans claimed to use their seat belts regularly, leaving about 9% of drivers who refuse to buckle up. Still, wearing a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle is one of the more effective ways to survive a car accident. Regrettably, many of those who died in traffic accidents in 2020 were not wearing seat belts.
The NHTSA’s 2020 annual report should remind all Americans of the dangers of irresponsible driving. Ultimately, if someone you love dies because of someone else’s irresponsible driving, you may have grounds to pursue substantial financial compensation.
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