Victim Rights In Tennessee

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In tennesssee, if someone is a victim of a drunk driver causing a car crash that leads victim to suffering serious bodily harm would law enforcement or the prosecutor follow up or reach out to the victim once stabilized or sometime after and inform them of victims rights and what the legally happened and is happening with the offender?
In Tennessee, victims have the right to be informed about:
- The accused's arrest, trial, sentencing, and release.
- The right to confer with the prosecution.
- The right to restitution.
These rights are typically communicated by either the law enforcement agency involved or the District Attorney's office.
The offender was on parole at the time of accident and then arrested and only charged with a DUI and leaving the scene of an accident then 4 days later leaving the scene of an accident charge was dropped and he was released from jail. It’s been 8 months and no other charges have been placed and no law enforcement has ever contacted me. What steps should I take or who could I reach out to?
In your situation, you should:
- Contact the District Attorney's office in your county.
- Inquire about victim's rights and the status of the offender's case.
- Request to confer with the prosecution.
Remember, you have rights and can request restitution for your injuries.
I’ve requested dash cam and body cam videos of the state trooper’s that was present on the scene of my accident but I still haven’t received them after 8 months. In Tennessee what is the average time it takes to receive those types of records? Is this considered an extremely long time to wait?
In Tennessee, the average response time for a public records request is * business days, but it can take longer. 8 months is not typical. Reach out to the agency you requested the footage from to follow up on your request.