A car accident can happen quickly, but the fallout can last for years. The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC understand the disruption a car accident can have on your life. If you suffered severe injuries and property damage through no fault of your own, we could help you recover compensation for your financial losses. Call us at 865-546-1111 for a free legal consultation with a car accident lawyer in Oak Ridge.
If you have a viable case, we can discuss legal options available to pursue compensation for your:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Other damages
First Meeting with a Lawyer
We will first ask you to tell us about the facts of your car crash. The events help us to know how the accident happened and who to hold legally liable for your injuries and damage to your vehicle.
Under Tennessee’s negligence law, the driver who causes a car accident must pay for any injuries or damages resulting from a crash. Typically, an at-fault driver’s insurance company pays the majority of the losses to accident victims.
Investigating Your Car Accident
After getting the facts about your car wreck, we begin to build a solid case by collecting evidence to show how the at-fault driver injured you or your loved one.
The at-fault driver, for instance, may have been speeding, or texting and driving, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs when the crash occurred. A police report or eyewitness statements may confirm this information.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, we may work with an expert who reconstructs accidents to determine how a car wreck happened and who was at fault for causing the wreck.
We will also collect evidence that may include:
- Your medical bills
- A medical expert’s testimony about how your injuries have impacted your life
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Pictures of your injuries
- Traffic surveillance video of the accident
- The at-fault driver’s past driving convictions
Establishing Negligence in Your Accident
To have a successful case requires us to show how negligence played a role in your crash. So, we use the evidence we collect to prove that the at-fault driver had a duty to drive safely to avoid causing you harm. But, because of the driver’s negligence, the driver failed to carry out this duty. As a result, the driver’s negligence caused an accident, and you suffered damages.
Filing an Insurance Claim
Once we have identified the driver who caused the car accident, we will file a claim on your behalf with the driver’s auto insurance company. Negotiating a claim can be challenging because auto insurers want to reduce, delay, or deny requests. But, our legal team has years of experience settling claims and countering low settlement offers so that our clients receive fair compensation.
While we prefer filing and negotiating claims, filing a lawsuit may be warranted in cases when the insurer rejects your claim or refuses to offer a fair settlement. We will discuss with you the reasons why filing a lawsuit may be necessary so that you can recover the compensation you deserve. If you want counsel from an injury lawyer in Oak Ridge then call 865-546-1111.
How Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Can Help You
Unfortunately, many motorists drive without auto insurance; this means that if they cause a car wreck, they will not have insurance to pay for the damages they caused others to suffer. If an uninsured driver hit you then you can turn to your auto insurance policy for compensation if you have Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) or Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM).
Your UM policy protects you when a driver without insurance causes an accident in which you suffered injuries. UIM coverage protects you when a driver has insurance but not enough to cover all of your damages.
Recovering Compensation for Your Injuries and Property Damages
Car accident victims can suffer a wide array of short- and long-term injuries after an accident. Injuries can range from an eye injury from flying glass, a traumatic brain injury from hitting the windshield or dashboard, to developing back and spinal cord injuries.
The more severe your injuries, the more compensation you can pursue; this means that you can receive reimbursement for your current and future medical expenses.
You can also receive payment for your:
- Hospital bills
- Ambulance costs, if used
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity, if you can no longer work as you did before the accident
- Funeral or burial expenses, if your loved one died because of the crash
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Non-Economic Damages for Catastrophic Loss or Injury
Tennessee caps non-monetary losses, such as pain and suffering, at $750,000. However, the award increases to one million dollars if you suffered one of the following catastrophic losses or injuries:
- A spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Amputation of two hands, two feet, or one of each
- Third-degree burns over 40 percent or more of your body or third-degree burns up to 40 percent or more of your face
- Wrongful death of a parent who leaves minor children who were being cared for by the deceased parent
Tennessee Statute of Limitations
Tennessee’s Statute of Limitations gives you one year from the date of your car accident injury to file an insurance claim. Failing to meet the time limits means you forfeit your right to pursue compensation for damages.
We Can Help You Recoup Your Financial Losses from Your Car Accident
When you suffer a devastating car accident, rather than try and take on insurance companies on your own, turn to the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC.
Call us today at 865-546-1111 to schedule a complimentary case evaluation with a car accident lawyer in Oak Ridge. We work on a contingency basis which means you do not pay us unless we recover compensation in your case.