Tennessee Injury Attorneys
Have you been injured in a motor vehicle accident? If so, Tennessee gives you only a single year to file a lawsuit. Our Tennessee personal injury attorneys can help you to file a lawsuit on your behalf and work to get the compensation you deserve.
Car crashes are on the rise in Tennessee. A report from Tennessee’s Department of Safety & Homeland Security claims that in Davidson County, car accidents had risen by 44% over the period spanning 2011 to 2015.
Who Might Have Been At Fault In My Car Accident?
Several variables will influence whether or not you can sue. Our Tennessee attorneys will provide the insight you need in order to determine if you have a case. This usually involves conducting an investigation of the accident and working with medical experts and perhaps accident reconstruction specialists. If, after all this, it seems you have a case, we may also be able to determine who was at fault from the results. At this point, we can work with you to file a lawsuit against the responsible party.
The specific kind of crash you were involved in plays a large role in who your lawsuit should be filed against. Some of the claims our personal injury attorneys in Tennessee handle include:
Car Accidents
A typical motor vehicle crash involves two standard passenger vehicles colliding. In this case, a lawsuit alleges that one of the drivers caused the crash by being negligent. This can take many forms, and generally means that the driver did not act with reasonable care. Speeding, running a stop sign or red light, distracted driving, are all examples of being negligent.
Truck Accidents
In cases involving large trucks, either the truck driver or the company that owns the truck will be held at fault. Some common types of negligence that occur in trucking accidents include:
- Overloaded trucks
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Failure to stop at weigh stations
- Inexperienced drivers
Companies who operate trucks sometimes send their own investigators to the scene of an accident in order to gather evidence in an attempt to reduce their liability, meaning they will try to pay you less. This creates all the more reason to have an experienced personal injury attorney at your side. We will conduct our own investigation on your behalf to make sure your story gets told and you get the compensation you deserve. Our investigations of truck accidents will include requesting driver logs and driver background checks from the trucking company.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents are another type of auto accidents that occur all too often in Tennessee. During the time spanning from 2014-2015, Davidson County saw a 12.6% increase in motorcycle accidents.
A common misconception is that motorcycle riders are most often responsible for these crashes. However, a well-known study called The Hurt Report discovered that in two-thirds of accidents involving a motorcycle, the other driver had violated the motorcyclist’s right-of-way, thereby causing the accident. When a car or truck is at fault for causing a motorcycle accident, several forms of negligence can be responsible, such as:
- Failure to recognize a motorcycle in traffic
- Cars making left-hand turns without checking oncoming traffic
- Cars making reckless lane changes
If the other party was at fault for your motorcycle accident, we can help you prove it.
Wrongful Death
If a loved one has lost their life in an auto accident, our Tennessee attorneys may be able to help you file a wrongful death lawsuit against the at fault driver. Such a lawsuit can involve a surviving parent, spouse, or child recovering damages for medical expenses, emotional distress, funeral costs, and more. Wrongful death claims can be brought against any party whose action or lack of action may have resulted in another’s unnecessary death, not just those resulting from auto accidents.
Pedestrian Accidents
While walking down the street or sidewalk, you are particularly vulnerable. You have no real protection, and an automobile approaching at high speeds may be difficult or impossible to avoid or even see coming. Even minor collisions at low speeds can result in catastrophic injuries for unsuspecting pedestrians. Most often, the driver is at fault in these accidents, given that pedestrians are often granted the right-of-way. Drivers can be careless or inconsiderate when it comes to pedestrians.
Rideshare Accidents
Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft have exploded in popularity. With their increased use also comes an increase in accidents associated with their vehicles. These crashes are somewhat different than others, considering the company’s insurance can come into play instead of, or in addition to, that of the individual driver. While Uber and Lyft now have substantial insurance policies to cover their drivers, the companies have still been known to avoid liability at all costs. For example, if the rideshare driver was not transporting a fare at the time of the accident, Uber can and has argued that the driver was not working for them at the time and therefore they are not liable.
DUI Accidents
Driving under the influence is one of the most irresponsible actions a person can take. Still, it happens all too often and can result in serious accidents. It’s not difficult to prove liability in these cases, provided the person was documented to have been drinking at the time. Additional compensation can also be sought due to what’s known as punitive damages, referring to extra fines brought upon the driver intended to discourage such behavior in the future.
Contact Us Today
If you’ve been injured in an accident of any kind or suffered the wrongful death of a loved one, act now. We will work tirelessly in gathering all the details and evidence of your case. You don’t have to go through this trying time alone, nor do you have to concern yourself with the endless complications that can arise from the litigation following these kinds of events. We’re here to handle all of that for you. Contact one of our helpful and experienced Tennessee personal injury attorneys today.