Tennessee man on trial for vehicular homicide

A Tennessee man is on trial for a 2012 car accident that killed three people on Wears Valley Road in Sevier County. According to prosecutors, the man from East Tennessee was driving a truck down Wears Valley Road when he crashed into a vehicle carrying four people. A 26-year-old man and both his parents, a 51-year-old and a 57-year-old, died in the accident. The fourth occupant, the man’s sister, was injured in the accident.

Witnesses say that before the wreck, the East Tennessee man crossed the centerline multiple times. He is being charged with reckless aggravated assault, reckless vehicular homicide and reckless homicide.

His lawyer says that he may have fallen asleep while driving, which lead to the accident. The defense argues that the prosecution has not proven that the East Tennessee man was guilty of gross negligence at the time of the accident since there are no minimum sleep requirement laws for drivers.

The loss of a loved one can bring financial hardship to a family. The cost of funeral and burial expenses can be overwhelming. Family members of victims who died in a car accident may be eligible for compensation for their losses. If a death was caused by another driver’s negligence, then that driver may be liable for the financial and emotional damage brought upon the deceased’s family.

By using evidence provided by investigators, a personal injury attorney may be able to demonstrate that the defendant’s negligence was the cause of the accident. This evidence could include toxicology reports and witness testimonies.

Source: WBBJ, “Man on trial over crash that killed 3”, November 14, 2014