FOUR REASONS TO HIRE A TENNESSEE AUTO ACCIDENT LAWYER
There are several benefits to working with a personal injury attorney after being injured in an auto accident in Tennessee.
Auto accidents occur all too often on the roads throughout Tennessee, often resulting in serious injuries or death. In 2016 alone, there were 51,136 collisions resulting in injuries and 989 fatal accidents across the state, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. While many choose to handle the settlement process on their own, there are numerous benefits to obtaining legal counsel.
Understanding the law
Tennessee has adopted a modified comparative negligence rule that applies to personal injury claims, including car wrecks. This law stipulates that people found to be 50 percent or more at fault for causing a wreck may not seek damages, and the losses they may be awarded are based on the percentage to which the other party is assigned blame for contributing to the accident. For the average person, understanding how fault is determined and the effect the fault percentage may have on their ability to seek damages may be complicated.
Attorneys who focus on motor vehicle collision claims, however, are familiar with the state’s laws. They understand how the laws may apply to each client’s circumstances. They may draw on this knowledge to help them determine if they are able to take legal action, as well as the percentage of their losses they may be entitled to recover.
Familiarity with the process
The legal process involved with personal injury claims may seem a complex maze of legalities and paperwork for those who are injured in car accidents. Auto collision lawyers are often familiar with the types of medical and legal terminology that may be involved in such cases. They are also experienced in completing the required forms and filing the appropriate legal documents. Using this experience, personal injury attorneys may guide their clients’ through the involved procedures, and help ensure they do not lose out on compensation they need and deserve because of a technicality.
Assessing the value and strength of claims
The subtleties involved in personal injury claims in Tennessee may affect whether people who have been injured in auto wrecks have the right to take legal action and what damages they may be entitled to receive. For example, non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, are capped at $750,000, except in the case of certain catastrophic injuries. Lawyers who primarily handle car crash claims may know how to assess their clients’ current losses, as well as how to estimate their future costs and non-economic damages.
Dealing with insurance companies
Following motor vehicle collisions, people who suffer injuries may attempt to work toward a settlement with the insurance companies themselves. Focused on their own bottom line, rather than on the needs of those who were injured, insurance adjustors often seek to pay out as little as possible. On their own, going up against large insurance companies on their own to obtain a fair settlement may seem a daunting task for people who have experienced such situations. Often having experience dealing with other legal representatives and insurance companies, personal injury lawyers may look out for their clients’ best interests throughout the process, and may not be intimidated into taking an unfair settlement.
Protecting the rights of accident survivors
As a result of the injuries they suffer in Tennessee auto accidents, people may need extensive medical treatment and be forced to take time off work to recover. Consequently, they may not only lose wages, but also incur unexpected medical bills and other such expenses. Working with a lawyer may help them understand their rights for pursuing financial compensation for their resulting losses, as well as determine how best to proceed given their unique circumstances.
