Posts by Thomas Greer

In 2010, one of the largest law firms on the planet, Baker & McKenzie, was hit with a $103 million malpractice verdict.  The case arose out of neighboring Mississippi and captured headlines news both for its astronomical monetary amount and its revelation that even the largest, most esteemed firms are not above wrongdoing.  The facts…

A recent investigation by the New York Times revealed a troubling but often overlooked form of nursing home abuse: neglect of resident’s dental care needs.  Nursing home residents across the country are sadly plagued by a wide host of dental issues, such as cavities, cracked teeth, and gum disease.  The root of these problems is…

Recently, the local news has been inundated with reports of motorcycle crashes all across Tennessee.  In Knox County, 22-year-old Rocky Adams was in an accident in mid-September.  He was traveling eastbound on Stowers Drive when a car pulled out of a private driveway.  Adams, who was driving at the speed limit, locked both front and…

The statute of limitations for filing a legal malpractice action is not always easily calculated.  According to the Tennessee Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(2), the statute of limitations for bringing a legal malpractice claim is one year from when the cause of action accrues.  When a cause of action accrues is determined by applying the discovery…

Tennessee recently received an undesirable ranking: it has some of the most distracted drivers in the nation. According to a study conducted by the National Safety Council, 10.6% of all deadly crashes in Tennessee involve distracted driving, and, more specifically, the use of a cell phone.  This is ten times the national average of deadly…

Recently, in Houston, Texas, a jury awarded Tracy Windrum and her three children over $4 million in a medical malpractice case involving the death of Mrs. Windrum’s husband due to a tragic misdiagnosis.  Forty-six year old Lander Windrum died due to complications from hydrocephalus, which is a buildup of spinal fluid in the brain.  The…

A glance at the local news reveals that tractor trailer accidents in Tennessee are all too common, and often deadly.  This past summer, an Indiana couple perished in a multi-vehicle accident involving a negligent tractor trailer driver who failed to brake in time.  In early October, an accident involving a tractor trailer, a bus, and…

Back in August of 1993, Helen Coyle was admitted to Bellshill Maternity Hospital in Scotland.  Her pregnancy thus far had proceeded normally and without complications.  Coyle’s son, Ryan, was born two days after her hospital admission.  When she was first admitted to Bellshill, Coyle was given medication to stimulate contractions and the fetal heart rate…

Barbara G. Lathan’s story represents every hospital patient’s worst nightmare.  Ms. Lathan, a 72-year-old Connecticut resident, went to the Bridgeport Hospital, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for treatment of a simple urinary tract infection back in October of 2007.  Aside from the minor urinary tract infection, Ms. Lathan was a picture of health, active and enjoying life. …

You have made the initial decision to hire an automobile accident attorney to help you recover following your auto accident.  The decision to engage the assistance of an attorney is your first step along the path of successful recovery.  Now, however, you must select your automobile accident attorney.  Your choice of auto accident attorney is…

A horrific fiery crash involving a large tractor-trailer took the lives of a young Indiana couple on their way to the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee this past summer.  Less than an hour from the festival, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a big rig driver caused an eight-vehicle pile-up when he failed to stop amidst congested traffic…

On October 2, 2013, a horrific, fatal bus crash occurred in Jefferson County, Tennessee.  On this afternoon, a church bus carrying mostly senior citizens was traveling eastbound on I-40.  The bus experienced a tire blow out, causing it to travel across the median and strike a tractor trailer and a passenger car.  The tractor trailer…

Currently, in Tennessee, all motorcycle operators and passengers are required to wear a crash helmet meeting federal standards.  This universal helmet law may be changing, however, as a proposal to relax current helmet laws makes its way through the legislature.  The Tennessee State Senate has advanced a bill that would remove the requirement that some…

For motorcycle enthusiasts, few things compare to the thrill of the open road.  Motorcycle riding has become a favorite American pastime, growing drastically in popularity in just the last few years.  In 2012, there were approximately nine million registered motorcycles in the U.S., up from seven million in 2007.  Tennessee alone has over 160,000 registered…

Recently, a Tennessee truck driver was sentenced to nearly 12 years for a fatal wreck which occurred in 2011 on Interstate 40 in Orange County, North Carolina.  The accident tragically resulted in the death of three individuals.  Ronald Graybeal, a 53-year-old man from Newport, Tennessee, was charged with three counts of felony death by vehicle,…

When a person becomes a resident at a nursing home, he or she must place a great deal of trust in the staff at that facility.  They are responsible for each resident’s shelter, feeding, clothing, and administration of medication.  These staff members also are responsible for the management of resident’s money in numerous instances.  Many…

A case originating out of Tennessee made headline news this past summer, when a Memphis jury determined that the obstetrician’s delays in performing a necessary emergency c-section led to severe birth injuries.  The case arose out of the Circuit Court for Tennessee for the Thirtieth Judicial District.  The facts of the case are as follows: …

Nursing home abuse is one of the most unfathomable crimes.  Elderly victims are often left vulnerable due to physical or mental incapacities, and those that prey upon them represent some of the worst members of society.  When most people think of nursing home abuse, they envision physical abuse or neglect.  However, in Tennessee, the financial…

In of October of 2013, a bus carrying senior citizens returning from a jubilee that had been held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee crossed the center median and collided with a Chevy Tahoe and a tractor-trailer.  Six people on the bus were killed, along with a passenger in the SUV and the driver of the commercial truck.  Fourteen…

Staffing a nursing home with the right people is critical to the safety and wellbeing of its residents.  The staff, including medical professionals, aids, food preparers, and janitorial personnel, needs to have the training to deal with the assigned tasks as well as the patience to work with the residents.  It is imperative that the…

Long-haul trucking is one of the main ways that goods are moved from one place to another.  This is a critical part of the economy.  However, this does not mean that there should not be reasonable restrictions on the size and length of the tractor-trailers that share the roads with millions of Americans every day. …

On October 15, 2013, a tenth grade student got into a car with friends in the afternoon.  At approximately 5:30 PM, when it was still daylight, the Nissan in which the three teenage boys were riding crossed the center median and collided with a pick-up truck traveling in the opposite direction.  Fifteen year-old Kane Ragsdale,…

The day that a teenager gets a driver’s license is one of the greatest days for the teen and one of the most stressful for the parents.  The problem is that this event marks one of the first steps towards adulthood, but teenagers still exhibit the impulsive behavior of childhood paired with a belief in…

Motorcyclists enjoy taking their bikes along the roads in Tennessee.  The mild weather throughout much of the year means that there are plenty of riding days.  However, the number of riders also leads to many accidents throughout the state.  When a motorcycle gets into an accident, almost eighty percent of the time there are injuries…

A child who suffers from severe birth injuries faces a lifetime of medical needs, extensive assistance requirements, and special education needs.  In order to lead the best possible life, it will be important to have access to the best available therapy or medical treatment, adaptations to the family home and vehicle, specialized education programs, and…