Understanding the Punishment Side of a Tupelo Crash Claim Key Takeaways: Mississippi Code § 11-1-65 caps punitive damages on a sliding scale tied to defendant net worth, from $20 million for defendants worth over $1 billion down to 2% of net worth for those worth $50 million or less, calculated under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles….
Mississippi Seat Belt Defense 63-2-3 and Highway Cab Fire Claims Key Takeaways: Mississippi law treats 18-wheelers, including their trailers, as covered motor vehicles, which shapes how burn injury victims pursue compensation after a highway cab fire. The state follows pure comparative negligence, meaning a partially at-fault victim may still recover a reduced share of damages….
How One Tennessee Statute Can Open the Door to the Vehicle Owner’s Insurance Key Takeaways: Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-10-311 gives Memphis crash victims an evidentiary shortcut: proof of vehicle ownership serves as prima facie evidence that the driver had the owner’s permission and was acting within the scope of employment. Paired with § 55-10-312,…
How Mississippi Protects a Child’s Share of a Wrongful Death Recovery Key Takeaways: Mississippi generally requires chancery court approval before a child’s wrongful death settlement can be finalized. Miss. Code Ann. § 93-20-431(1)(b) may trigger court review whenever the sum owed a minor is not a liquidated sum certain, which describes most tort recoveries, with…
One Death, One Lawsuit: How Mississippi Consolidates Wrongful Death Claims Key Takeaways: Mississippi’s one-suit rule under Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13 requires only one wrongful death lawsuit per death, brought for the benefit of all parties concerned. A widow, parent, and sibling in Jackson cannot each maintain separate cases against the same defendant. The action…
The Paper Trail That Can Prove a Truck Company Knew About a Dangerous Defect Key Takeaways: A DVIR, or driver vehicle inspection report, is a federally required record under 49 CFR 396.11 documenting whether a commercial truck’s core safety systems, brakes, steering, tires, coupling devices, lighting, and more, were working at the end of a…
Alabama Code 6-5-410 Punitive Damages Only: What a Fatal Highway 36 Wreck Means for Grieving Families Key Takeaways: A recent fatal collision on Alabama Highway 36 near Hartselle has renewed attention on how Alabama handles death claims after a crash. Alabama law splits wrongful death into separate statutes for adults and minors, and it applies…
How a Hospital’s Filing Clock Can Shape Your Memphis Crash Recovery Key Takeaways: Tennessee’s Hospital Lien Act requires hospitals to file a verified written statement before discharge or within 120 days after discharge. The filing goes to the circuit court clerk in the county where the hospital is located and, for Tennessee residents, the county…
Understanding How Multiple Vehicles Can Multiply Your Uninsured Motorist Protection in Mississippi Key Takeaways: Uninsured motorist stacking means combining UM limits across multiple vehicles or policies for greater coverage after a crash with an uninsured driver. Mississippi Code § 83-11-102 permits insureds with policies covering four or more vehicles to elect single-limit, nonstacking UM coverage,…