Personal Injury Law in Nashville, TN

Were you hurt due to another’s negligence in Nashville? If so, it may have far-reaching consequences such as a loss of wages or extensive medical treatment. Personal injury law allows an injured person to get damages if the responsible person acted recklessly. A personal injury attorney in Nashville, TN can help navigate the lawsuit to make sure you receive all of the compensation you deserve.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law in Nashville relates to the legal process of getting compensation for an injury caused by someone else’s negligent behavior. These cases involve one party, the plaintiff, trying to seek financial compensation for expenses incurred and money lost as a result of the defendant’s reckless behavior. These cases involve both parties’ insurance companies and may even settle before proceeding to litigation.

Examples of Personal Injury Claims in Nashville, TN

Some personal injury claims are more common than others. However, almost any incident that ends with a physical or mental injury could qualify, depending on the circumstances.

A few of the most common personal injury claims are:

• Car Accidents
• Slip and Fall
• Dog Bites
• Medical Malpractice
• Workplace Accidents
• Burn Injuries

Most Common Injuries in Nashville 

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, injury is the leading cause of fatality for young adults between the ages of 1-44. The leading cause of personal injury in Nashville is prescription drug misuse and overdose, followed closely by auto accidents. In fact each day in Tennessee there are 14 deaths, 98 hospitalizations, and 1,754 individual visits to the emergency room due to injury.

Steps in a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Nashville, TN

Once you determine that you wish to proceed forward with a personal injury action in Tennessee

A lawsuit begins when a complaint is filed with the court and served on the defendant. The complaint alleges your assertion as the plaintiff that the defendant’s negligent behavior resulted in damage to your body or mental state. As the process proceeds forward, you may have to go through depositions, independent medical evaluations and document production. This discovery process is lengthy and ends in either settlement or a court appearance.

In Nashville, due to Tennessee’s 1 year statute of limitations on personal injury claims, it is very common for injury suits to be filed quickly. But the discovery process, medical exams, and mediation can extend into months, and even years. It is important to remain patient as your counsel works through this process.

 Tennessee Personal Injury Settlement

With most personal injury cases, insurance companies and injured parties prefer settlement negotiations rather than going to court for a trial. You may wonder how much you should seek in your settlement and factors that impact the final amount.

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, traffic injuries and fatalities hit a new high. Many of these involving large trucks and motorcycles are due to negligence and distracted driving. In addition to increased traffic flow with the explosive growth of Nashville. The size of your settlement is determined by various factors such as medical bills, lost income, and the amount the other party was at fault. The average Tennessee personal injury settlement can fall anywhere from between $2,000-$75,000

If the other party has insurance, the insurance company likely wants to settle out of court to avoid leaving the final settlement decision to a jury. Settlements benefit injured parties as much as they do insurance companies. This is because accepting a settlement means you receive compensation sooner rather than later. Also, by going to court in TN, that means you risk not receiving any compensation at all.

Damage Awards in Tennessee

If your Tennessee personal injury lawsuit goes before a judge or jury, your legal team will be ready with a request for damages. In personal injury cases, there are three types of damage awards a court may order the defendant to pay. In order to compensate you for the damage he or she inflicted.

Special compensatory damages reimburse you for things such as lost income, medical bills and insurance deductibles. You submit receipts proving these losses.

General compensatory damages are subjective. If you receive special compensatory damages, you may also collect general damages. If your injury was particularly painful, you might request that the judge order the defendant compensate you for the pain and anguish.

Punitive damages are the most rarely awarded and are up to the court. The judge or jury may determine that the defendant’s negligence was particularly heinous and the resulting injury to you was equally horrific. 

The damage cap in Tennessee is set at $750,000 for most personal injuries. This covers anything that doesn’t directly tie to medical expenses or lost wages. There is, however, a slightly larger cap set at $1,000,000 for injuries involving amputation, severe burns, paralysis, and wrongful death of the parent of a minor.

Statute of Limitations in Nashville, TN Personal Injury Law?

The injured party may have a set amount of time to file suit for a personal injury case. State law establishes statutes of limitation. Commonly, the plaintiff’s injury or discovery of the injury begins the statute of limitations. However, the latter factor is trickier, as the plaintiff will have to prove when the injury was first realized.

Tennessee law states that all personal injury claims have a statute of limitations of one year from the date of the accident.

We recommend you speak with a personal injury lawyer for this matter. Don’t wait too long and miss out on receiving the compensation you deserve for your injury. 

Work With an Experienced Nashville, TN Lawyer

Pursue a personal injury claim in Nashville against the responsible person if you are dealing with an injury caused by someone else. One of our experienced lawyers can help you navigate your personal injury claim. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Tennessee state lines.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!