What Are Some Frequently Asked Questions Accident Victims Have After a Serious Tennessee Car Accident?
After a serious car accident, the first thing to worry about is to get proper medical care for yourself and any passengers. Although there is evidence that can be gathered at the scene of an accident, it is not worth doing this to the detriment of your health. Once you have had emergency care, there may be some questions that you need answered before you decide how to proceed, here are a few answers to some of the more common questions after a serious car accident:
I have spoken with my insurance company and they said that I can handle this matter on my own, without the assistance of counsel – is this a good idea?
The short answer is no and this is not just because we are a law firm that handles this type of case. Insurance adjusters have one goal, which is to minimize the amount of money that you receive. No matter how nice the insurance representative may be, the fact is that he works for the insurance company and is not going to work with you to enforce your legal rights. By hiring an experienced attorney who has the experience and willingness to take a case to trial, you also gain some leverage with the insurance company because a personal injury attorney is going to know how to properly value your damages and support that assessment with evidence. The insurance company is aware of the fact that the only way your case is going to trial is with the assistance of an attorney.
What are my responsibilities if I retain Greer Injury Lawyers as my attorneys?
It is important to know that we will manage the details of your case so that you can focus your energies on recovery and taking care of your family, but you will have an important role in this case. We will work with you to develop the right legal strategy for you and then will let you know how you can help gather the necessary evidence to support your case. This includes an open dialogue with us so that we know about any changes in your physical condition or different types of treatment that are being tried. It is important that you collect any and all documents that relate to the case so that we can use this to support the damages to which you are entitled as a result of this accident. It may be a good idea to provide a recorded statement to the insurance company, depending on our legal decisions, and you will need to sit for a deposition, but we will prepare you for all of this. You also may need to undergo a physical examination with other doctors. If we do not settle the case, then you would have to attend the trial.
What if I did something to cause the car accident?
You may still be able to recover for your injuries. Tennessee follows the modified comparative fault – 50% rule, which means that you can recover an apportioned amount of damages if you were up to forty-nine percent (49%) responsible for the accident. For example, if the judge or jury determines that you were forty percent (40%) responsible for the accident and your damages were $100,000, then you would receive $60,000 (because the other driver was 60% at fault). However, if you are found to be 50% or more responsible for the accident, then you would not receive any damages award.
These are just a few of the many questions that you may have as the victim of a serious car accident. The experienced Memphis car accident attorneys at Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC can answer all of your questions in a free and confidential consultation where we will evaluate your case and develop a legal strategy that works for you. To schedule an appointment, please call us at (888) 470-9143. At Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.