Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Published on: September 11, 2019

NST Law Congratulates the Bar-Kays on 55 Years of Soul and Funk!

The Bar-Kays are a Memphis institution. In the early 1960s, six students from Booker T. Washington High School formed a group that would eventually be known as the Bar-Kays. They were signed by the world-renowned Stax label, and became one of the most successful recording groups in the history of Memphis music and American music. Over the years, the Bar-Kays have performed their soul and funk hits alongside successful musicians such as Otis Redding, Al Jackson, Jr., Booker T. Jones, Booker T. and the M.G.’s, and Isaac Hayes.

Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz was proud to be a sponsor of Bar-Kays Reloaded – 55^th Anniversary Celebration on August 23, 2019, at the Halloran Center in downtown Memphis. Our firm recognizes their hard work, dedication, passion, and all they have done to help promote the City of Memphis to audiences and listeners worldwide. We also recognize their contributions to our city and the music industry as a whole. As part of the celebration, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland issued an official Proclamation declaring August 23, 2019 to be “Bar-Kays Day” throughout the City of Memphis.

Currently led by founder James Alexander, the Bar-Kays have released nearly 29 albums (including 5 gold, 1 platinum), 40 singles, and 20 top ten singles and albums. The current Bar-Kays members include James Alexander, Chris J, Angelo Earl, Mark Bynum, Robert Day, and Archie Love. The Bar-Kays are still performing their hits before Memphis and national audiences, so be sure to check them out. Congratulations again to the Bar-Kays on 55 excellent years, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Published on: August 7, 2019

Proving Lost Wages in a Car Accident Case

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

Lost wages can be an important part to getting fair compensation in a personal injury case, as medical bills and physical pain aren’t the only ways in which an auto accident can affect you. If you suffered serious injuries like broken bones or required an extended hospital stay, you will probably be taken off of work by your doctor. Even if you didn’t suffer broken bones, your condition still could render you unable to return to work for a period of time. If you miss work due to a car wreck caused by someone else, you are legally entitled to recover your lost wages.

In a car accident case, lost wages are typically recoverable in an insurance claim against the at-fault driver’s carrier or your own carrier, if you are making an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim.

Types of Lost Wages

Published on: July 18, 2019

What to Do After Being Hit by a Drunk Driver

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

iStock-474752734 By now, everybody knows the dangers of driving drunk or intoxicated. Unfortunately, the problem doesn’t appear to be going away. The NHTSA estimates 30 people die in drunk driving crashes each day in the United States.

Alcohol causes negative side effects in your central nervous system, making it difficult to drive safely. In most states, the legal limit is a blood alcohol concentration of .08. If your BAC reaches this level, you will have poor muscle coordination and may suffer from lapses in judgment. Perception also becomes more difficult. However, even if your BAC is below the legal limit, you can still suffer from reduced coordination and lower reaction times.

Accidents involving drunk drivers can cause lots of damage – vehicle damage and personal injuries (in fact, per the NHTSA, drunk driving wrecks cost society $44 billion per year). If you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, there are certain steps you can take in order to protect your rights and properly recover for your losses.

Published on: June 3, 2019

Pain and Suffering Damages in Tennessee

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

iStock-927091262 If you’ve been injured in Tennessee due to someone else’s wrongdoing, even if it was just an accident, the law allows you to pursue recovery for your losses by filing a personal injury claim. Since we cannot go back in time, the most common measure of damages is monetary compensation designed to make you whole, as if the injury never happened in the first place. Being made whole comes in different forms. First, you can be reimbursed for direct losses and expenses such as medical bills, lost wages, future lost earnings, or future medical bills. What about losses that cannot be directly quantified? Those losses, non-economic in nature, are most commonly referred to as pain and suffering.

What Is Pain and Suffering?

In a civil trial for a personal injury claim, members of the jury are often given this definition, read by the Judge in open court: “Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is reasonable compensation for any physical pain and discomfort and for mental pain and discomfort suffered by the plaintiff, [and the present cash value for physical and mental discomfort likely to be experienced in the future.] Mental discomfort includes anguish, grief, shame, or worry.”

Published on: April 22, 2019

Hands Free Bill Passes Tennessee House in Effort to Curb Distracted Driving

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

iStock-837009352 The Tennessee House of Representatives has passed a bill that would make it against the law to talk on hand-held devices, such as a cell phone, while driving on any road within the state. Laws like this, known as hands-free laws, have been passed in other states already. The bill that just passed in Tennessee is HB 0164, and it now goes to the Tennessee Senate for a vote.

HB 0164 seeks to add language to Tenn. Code Ann. 55-8-207. Specifically, it seeks to prevent any driver under the age of 18 from talking on a mobile phone while the car is in motion, whether it’s a hand held device or hands-free device. Drivers who are 18 or older would only be allowed to talk while driving on a hands-free device. A driver who violates this statute would be subject to a fine of $100, but if the violation led to an accident, the fine would increase to $200.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks accident data across the United States with a goal of reducing wrecks and traffic fatalities. The NHTSA succinctly defines distracted driving as “any activity that diverts attention from driving.” They go on to list several examples, such as texting, eating and drinking, talking to passengers, fiddling with the radio, or monitoring GPS systems while driving.

Published on: April 8, 2019

Pedestrian Deaths Nationwide Reach 30 Year High

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

iStock-182138065-Large Be careful walking down the street – fatalities are on the rise and recently reached their highest levels in almost 30 years. Recent trends are troubling. In 2008, there were 4,114 pedestrian fatalities in the United States, and preliminary data for 2018 suggests 6,277 deaths, according to a report recently released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). This represents an increase of a whopping 52%! In 2008, pedestrian deaths represented 12% of all motor vehicle related deaths. In 2018, that percentage increased to 16%.

Pedestrian Fatality Trends

The last 10 years have shown pedestrian deaths can happen at all hours of the day. From 2008-2017, daytime fatalities remained mostly consistent, from 1,145 in 2008 to 1,267 during the daytime. However, a dramatic shift occurred during the night hours, from 3,059 in 2008 to 4,440 in 2017. During that 10-year period, 90% of pedestrian fatalities occurred at night. Of course, at night it is harder for drivers to see pedestrians, unless they are wearing reflective clothing or lights.

Published on: March 7, 2019

Tennessee Rated Worst State for Distracted Driving

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

iStock-1086630316-Large Tennessee was recently given an unfortunate distinction – the worst state for distracted driving among all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Value Penguin recently released a study analyzing deaths in each state related to cell phone use between 2015-2017, and Tennessee did not perform well when compared to other states.

Between 2015-2017, there were over 1,400 fatalities nationwide involving some form of distracted driving. Distracted driving is defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as “any activity that diverts attention from driving.” It encompasses many acts while operating a motor vehicle, including cell phone use, texting while driving, looking down at GPS, changing the radio station, eating, talking on the phone or to passengers, or engaging in any conduct that can take your eyes off the road.

Tennessee had the highest distracted driving fatality rate in the country, according to the comprehensive study. The average for all states was 1.49 fatalities per 10 billion vehicle miles. Tennessee’s rate was nearly five times as high, coming in at 7.20 fatalities per 10 billion miles. The next highest states were Delaware (3.28 fatalities), Wyoming (3.22 fatalities), Texas (3.00 fatalities), and Montana (2.91 fatalities). During the surveyed period of time, these five states were responsible for 31% of all distracted driving related fatalities, an astonishingly high number.

Published on: December 20, 2018

Hannah Jian Wins WTVA Scholarship Presented by Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

Congratulations to Hannah Jian, the winner of the 2018 WTVA Scholarship! NST Law sponsored the scholarship, and high school seniors in the greater Tupelo/Starkville area were eligible to enter. For a chance to win, the participating seniors had to answer the following question: Which person in your life has inspired you to make a difference in your community?

Hannah, a senior at Starkville High School, sent in a video response stating her mother was her inspiration, describing her as “brave, caring, and giving.” NST Law attorneys Alex Saharovich and Corey B. Trotz were proud to present Hannah with her winning scholarship check in person at the WTVA studio in Tupelo, Mississippi. Attorney Corey B. Trotz stated “education is a very big part of what we’ve done, as learning to be attorneys, but also to give back to the community.” Congratulations again to Hannah for a job well done, and we wish you the best in the future!

Published on: December 17, 2018

Personal Injury Claims for Sexual Assault

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

Every 98 seconds, someone in America is sexually assaulted. Rape and sexual abuse is a problem that unfortunately is not going away. Sexual assault or rape is one of the worst events one can go through. The emotional trauma and scars can have lasting effects.

After someone is sexually abused, police and law enforcement should immediately be called. Of course, some victims are hesitant to report these issues due to shame, embarrassment, or fear of retaliation. While the police can investigate, and the District Attorney can file criminal charges, the criminal prosecution can do little in terms of fairly compensating the victim or providing proper financial restitution.

Can a Victim of Sexual Assault File a Civil Personal Injury Claim?

Published on: December 3, 2018

Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Memphis

By Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, PLC

Shelby County, Tennessee is one of the most populous counties in the state. It should come as no surprise that each year, Shelby County ranks high in terms of motor vehicle accidents, compared to other counties. In 2017, Shelby County ranked #1 in Tennessee with a total of 37,602 car wrecks. Shelby County also boats the highest 10-year average from 2007-2017, with an average of 33,852 auto accidents per year.

In the greater Memphis area, the top causes of car accidents are typically drunk driving, distracted driving, failure to yield right of way, speeding, and failure to keep in proper lane. Of all 2017 accidents in Shelby County, nearly 20% involved at least one form of distracted driving, which can include talking on a cell phone, looking down at GPS, and texting while driving.

If you are involved in a car wreck in Memphis or the Mid-South, safety should be your top priority. There are steps that can be taken to look out for your legal rights and make sure they are protected. Of course, contacting an experienced car accident attorney in Memphis can go a long way towards accomplishing that goal. However, here are steps you can take to help yourself.