Car Accident Lawyer in Nashville, TN and Surrounding Areas
At Bill Easterly & Associates, we are committed to fighting for justice for those who have suffered injuries due to the negligence of others. Let our family help your family. Call us today.
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Getting The Help You Need After A Car Accident
Car accidents are all around frightening situations. The accident itself can shake a person to their core, but the aftermath can be just as painful and distressing as the initial impact. You may find yourself on the receiving end of intense insurance adjuster phone calls, missing out on work and a vital paycheck, and struggling to recover from painful physical injuries.
At Bill Easterly & Associates, we know that this experience may leave you feeling overwhelmed, alone, and straining to keep everything together. Our goal is to help you move forward and recoup the full compensation you need. Whether it is going head-to-head with an insurance company to negotiate a fair settlement or filing a lawsuit against a negligent driver, we have the skills it takes to get the compensation you are entitled to.
If you or a loved one are struggling following a car accident, call (615) 244-2222 to schedule your free consultation. We’re ready to get started on your case.
Can I Afford A Car Accident Lawyer?
Our car accident attorneys at Bill Easterly & Associates understand that you have unexpected medical bills if you have been seriously injured in an accident. You do not have extra money to hire a lawyer right now. Our attorneys will handle your case on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee arrangement allows personal injury victims to have skilled legal representation with no upfront costs. Our attorneys are confident in their legal abilities. If we agree to represent you, we will accept as our legal fee a portion of any insurance settlement or jury award that we obtain for you.
YOU DO NOT PAY UNLESS AND UNTIL WE OBTAIN MONEY FOR YOU. THAT GIVES US INCENTIVE TO GET YOU MAXIMUM COMPENSATION AND MAKES HAVING LEGAL REPRESENTATION AFFORDABLE FOR INJURY VICTIMS.
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Car Accident Laws in Tennessee
There are several Tennessee laws that drivers need to be aware of if they’ve been involved in a serious accident. The first is Tennessee Code 15-12-104, which, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, requires the mandatory reporting of all serious car accidents that occur in the state. A serious car accident is one where an individual was injured or killed or any accident that results in property damage in excess of $1,500. Drivers have 20 days to file out the necessary paperwork and turn it into the Commissioner of Safety.
It is also important to take note of Tennessee’s car accident statute of limitations. Injured parties wishing to take legal action following a car crash only have one year from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. This is a relatively short time frame. In most cases, an individual will first seek compensation from an insurance company through an injury claim. If that settlement is unreasonable or the insurance company is not negotiating in good faith, the individual may end up wanting to take legal action.
However, if the insurance company has been drawing things out and playing the waiting game, it may be too late to file a lawsuit. Getting an attorney on your side early on is the best way to make sure you have more negotiating leverage, while also keeping your other legal options open without missing out on deadlines.
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Car Accident Claims Process
Most individuals involved in a car accident will seek compensation through an insurance company – after all, that is what having insurance is for in the first place. When you retain the services of a skilled car accident attorney, they will help you through every stage of the injury claim process, including:
Filing the actual insurance claim with the company
Nashville Car Accident FAQs
While the process may seem straightforward, it can be time-consuming and confusing. Insurance adjusters work for the insurance company – that means they are working to protect the company’s best interests and bottom line. Some companies take advantage of clients by giving them low offers or manipulate their answers in order to make it look like you were at least partially responsible for the accident, again resulting in an offer that could be lower than what you deserve.
An attorney can work to protect your best interests and negotiate with the insurance company to make sure you are getting the maximum amount of compensation you are due.
What is Negligence in a Car Accident?
Negligence refers to a party’s failure to take the necessary precautions to protect others from harm. This is the issue around which all personal injury cases revolve. If a victim suffers an injury because of another party’s preventable negligence, the victim is entitled to recover monetary compensation for their damages from the negligent party or their insurance provider. Car accidents are often, but not always, caused by driver negligence. Sometimes, they occur because of vehicle malfunction, which may be attributable to the vehicle’s manufacturer or seller, or because of negligence on the part of a pedestrian, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or even the entity charged with maintaining the roadway where the accident occurred.
How Do I Prove the Other Driver Was At Fault?
You cannot simply claim that another party was negligent and that it caused you to suffer an injury. You need to demonstrate the other party’s negligence through evidence that shows how the accident occurred. Examples of evidence to show the other party’s negligence could include photos, official reports, video surveillance, eyewitnesses, reconstruction materials. So much of the critical evidence to support your claim can only be gathered at the site of the accident. Unless you are in immediate need of medical attention, take enough photos of the scene to illustrate how the accident occurred and do not leave the accident scene until you have a copy of the official police report and the attending officer’s contact information. If there were witnesses to the accident, exchange contact information with them in case you need to contact them for their testimonies later.
What Damages Can I Seek in a Car Accident?
Through your car accident claim, you can seek compensation for damages. Your medical bills, which can include your hospitalization, medication, and doctor visits. Your lost wages and other compensation, including your projected future wages if an injury-related disability prevents you from working in the same capacity in the future. Pain and suffering damages, which can include your need for psychological counseling to overcome the emotional trauma of the accident, your need for over-the-counter medication, and your overall reduced quality of life due to the injury. Just like you need evidence to show that another party was negligent, you need evidence to show that you suffered damages as the direct result of the other party’s negligence. Your evidence for these damages could include copies of your medical and other related bills and documentation showing how much you are paid regularly and how long you had to spend out of work to recover.
Can I File a Personal Injury Claim Without a Lawyer?
Yes. Generally, though, this is not in your best interest. Representing yourself in a legal claim is called proceeding pro se. Your lawyer is your advocate. Not only will your lawyer ensure that your claim is filed within the statute of limitations, they will help you obtain the evidence you need to support your claim and even work with his or her professional network to obtain evidence that you do not have, such as a digital reconstruction of the accident using information like the speed at which you were traveling and the weather conditions present when the accident occurred. Personal injury lawyers are familiar with the nuances of settling a claim with an insurance company and filing lawsuits on their clients’ behalf. Your lawyer can advise you about filing a lawsuit if you cannot secure the case with the insurance provider. He or she can also provide specific advice about handling your case type, whether it is a driver negligence case, a product liability claim, or a claim against a government entity.
Should I Accept the Settlement Offer From the Insurance Company?
Your lawyer can also negotiate with the other party’s insurance provider on your behalf, helping you secure an appropriate compensation package for your case. When you originally file your claim, the insurance provider will make a lowball compensation offer, hoping you will accept it. Do not let them get away with it. Instead, allow your lawyer to negotiate with the provider to demonstrate why you deserve a larger settlement.
Contact an Experienced Nashville Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one are suffering following a serious can accident, it is time to call the experienced legal team at Bill Easterly & Associates for help. At Bill Easterly & Associates, we understand the physical and financial impact that a car accident can have on an injured victim. We pride ourselves on taking the time to make sure you are our number one priority and you get the care and compensation you deserve.
To recover the compensation you are entitled to, call the office of Bill Easterly & Associates at (615) 244-2222 to schedule a free, initial consultation.
How Can We Help You?
How Our Tennessee Attorneys Can Help You
No case is too small or too large for our team of experienced attorneys. We have the skills and resources it takes to pursue all types of personal injury cases. If you’ve suffered at the hands of a negligent party, we want to make sure you are compensated, and the negligent party is held responsible. We start by getting to you know and the facts surrounding your case.
Every case is unique, and we treat them as such, priding ourselves on making sure you have our full attention and focusing our efforts on building a successful case for you.