Three North Mississippi residents were killed in motorcycle accidents on Sunday, July 17th, according to The Commercial Appeal. While any fatal crash is tragic, this was a very unusual circumstance. As DeSoto County, MS Coroner Jeff Pounders stated, “In my job, I’ve never seen this many motorcycle deaths on the same day.”
The first motorcycle fatality occurred in Marshall County. According to Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Miller, former Holly Springs Police chief Robert Pearson ran off the road and his motorcycle flipped over. The circumstances surrounding the accident were unclear.
Two of the three accidents were in DeSoto County, MS. Danny Wayne Farris of Walls, MS, age 54, struck a vehicle at Goodman Road and U.S. 61, not far from his residence. Gregory W. Smith, age 49, was later killed in a head-on collision near Eudora, also near his home. Both victims were thrown from their motorcycles and pronounced dead on the scene.
Motorcycle accidents severely injure and claim the lives of hundreds of people every year. In fact, motorcycles are involved in 13 percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide, including 47 in Mississippi in 2009. Even safe riding skills do not prevent accidents from occurring due to the negligence of others on the roadway. If you are going to ride, it is important to have adequate insurance coverage (medical payments coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage) in the event that the person causing the accident is either without insurance or does not have enough to compensate you for injuries you may sustain.
If you or a loved one are involved in a motorcycle accident, you should promptly seek experienced legal representation to not only protect your rights, but to seek just compensation for your injuries.
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