Single-Car Accident in Knoxville Ends in Fatality of One Person, Driver Charged with Vehicular Homicide; Are There Any Civil Remedies for the Victims of Suspected Vehicular Homicide Cases?
A fatal car accident claimed the life of one Knoxville woman last week, and a community is searching for answers as another woman faces criminal charges in the case. According to local news reports, WVLT 8 Knoxville, on Thursday, March 27, 21-year-old T’Naesia Thomas, of Knoxville, was killed in a single-vehicle car accident after the vehicle that she was riding in as a passenger was believed to have crashed into a tree. Reports indicate that the deadly accident that took Thomas’ life happened in the wee hours of the early morning on that Thursday, at around 1:50 a.m. The scene of the accident was reported to have been at Boright Drive near Whitney Place. At the scene of the accident, officers were reported to have found the victim “near the car with life-threatening injuries.” She was transported to the hospital for life-saving emergency medical treatment, but she sadly passed away several hours later, at 3:00 a.m. The driver of the vehicle, a Honda Accord, reportedly initially left the scene of the car accident, but was later apprehended by police officers. That driver was identified as a 24-year-old woman, who told officers that she was “under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash.” The driver was also transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and she was ultimately charged with vehicular homicide charges. The case is ongoing and it remains to be seen what will happen to the driver, or if any civil claims will be filed in the case.
Civil Actions for Criminal Acts in Knoxville Under Tennessee Personal Injury Laws
The recent case in which 21-year-old T’Naesia Thomas was allegedly killed by the driver of the car in which she was traveling raises questions in the minds of some Knoxville residents. Do the victims of serious car accidents in which the driver is also charged with criminal offenses have any recourse under Tennessee civil laws? The answer is yes. Under Tennessee civil laws, certain close family members of victims of fatal car accidents caused by negligent or criminal drivers may file a lawsuit in court for money compensation for their losses. These are called wrongful death actions and they are brought under Tennessee wrongful death personal injury laws. Importantly, there is a limited time to bring a wrongful death claim under Tennessee personal injury laws, so it is best to speak with an experienced Knoxville wrongful death personal injury lawyer as soon as possible about your case.
The experienced Knoxville wrongful death lawyers at the law firm Fox Farley Willis & Burnette PLLC are here to help victims of serious car accidents and their families get compensation due for their injuries and losses. Contact Fox Farley Willis & Burnette PLLC today and speak to an experienced Knoxville personal injury lawyer about your rights and options under Tennessee laws now.
