Murfreesboro Car Accident Lawyers
A serious car accident can disrupt nearly every part of your life. You may be dealing with painful injuries, time away from work, medical appointments, a damaged vehicle, and uncertainty about how you will keep up with your bills. At the same time, an insurance company may already be calling, asking questions, requesting statements, or pushing you toward a settlement before you know what your injuries will ultimately cost you.
Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers helps people injured in Murfreesboro car accidents pursue the compensation they need to move forward. Our focus is not simply on processing a claim. We work to put our clients in the strongest possible position to obtain a meaningful recovery for everything the accident has taken from them.
Our Murfreesboro car accident lawyers also bring an important perspective to these cases. Both of our partners began their careers in insurance defense. We have seen firsthand how insurance companies evaluate injury claims, identify opportunities to reduce their exposure, and protect their financial interests. Today, we use that experience to advocate for injured people.
When you choose Weir & Kestner, you receive personal attention as well as experienced legal representation. Every case has a dedicated case manager, and our clients have access to an attorney from the beginning. You should not have to wonder who is handling your case or whether anyone is listening to your concerns.
Compensation After a Murfreesboro Car Accident
The financial consequences of a serious collision can extend far beyond the first emergency room bill. Injured people may need ongoing treatment, physical therapy, surgery, medication, follow-up appointments, or assistance managing a permanent impairment. An injury can also interfere with your ability to work, care for your family, or enjoy the life you had before the crash.
Depending on the circumstances, compensation in a car accident case may include:
- Medical expenses and anticipated future medical care
- Lost wages and other lost income
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent impairment or disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Damage to your vehicle and other personal property
The value of a claim depends on much more than the amount of the medical bills incurred so far. A settlement that seems substantial today may be inadequate if an injury requires years of treatment or limits your ability to earn a living.
Our job is to understand how the accident has affected your life, determine the compensation available under the circumstances, and pursue a result that accounts for both your present losses and the consequences you may face in the future.
Tennessee Is an At-Fault State
Tennessee uses an at-fault system for car accidents. This means that the person whose negligence caused a collision can be held financially responsible for the resulting injuries and losses.
In many cases, that means pursuing compensation through the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. However, establishing a right to compensation does not mean an insurance company will automatically pay the full value of a claim.
An insurer may dispute the seriousness of an injury, argue that medical treatment was unnecessary, question whether an injury was caused by the collision, or contend that the injured person shares responsibility for what happened. These disputes can have a significant effect on the amount an insurer is willing to pay.
That is one reason experienced representation can matter. A car accident attorney can deal directly with the insurance company and pursue the compensation the client deserves rather than leaving the injured person to negotiate alone.
Tennessee’s Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements
Tennessee motorists are required to demonstrate financial responsibility for any accidents or injuries they cause, and the most common way this is done is through automobile liability insurance. Current minimum liability limits are:
- $25,000 for injury or death to one person in an accident
- $50,000 for total injuries or deaths in one accident
- $25,000 for property damage in one accident
Those limits can quickly become inadequate after a serious crash. A hospital stay, surgery, rehabilitation, lost income, and other losses can easily exceed $25,000.
When damages are substantial, an attorney can determine what sources of compensation may be available rather than assuming that the at-fault driver’s stated liability limit represents the end of the case. Depending on the circumstances and applicable insurance policies, other coverage may affect the potential recovery.
Modified Comparative Fault Can Reduce or Eliminate Compensation
Don’t be surprised if the insurance company says you were partly to blame in the crash. Tennessee follows a modified comparative fault system, under which an injured person can recover a portion of their damages if they are less than 50 percent responsible for the accident, but their recovery is reduced according to their percentage of fault.
For example, if a person’s damages are $100,000 but they are found 20 percent at fault, their recovery could be reduced to $80,000. If the injured person is 50 percent or more at fault, they cannot recover any damages.
This rule gives insurance companies a powerful financial incentive to shift as much blame as possible onto the injured person. Even when an insurer cannot avoid paying a claim altogether, increasing the claimant’s percentage of fault can potentially reduce what the company must pay.
Weir & Kestner’s attorneys understand these strategies from both sides. Our prior insurance defense experience helps us anticipate the arguments insurers may use and position our clients’ cases to withstand attempts to unfairly reduce their recovery.
Insurance Companies Have Different Priorities Than Injured People
Insurance adjusters may be courteous and professional, but their responsibilities are different from yours. Their job involves resolving claims while protecting the insurance company’s financial interests.
That difference becomes especially important in serious injury cases.
An insurer may request a recorded statement soon after the accident, before you fully understand your injuries. It may question gaps in treatment, scrutinize prior medical conditions, dispute future medical needs, challenge lost-income claims, or make an early settlement offer that does not reflect the long-term impact of your injuries.
Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, you cannot return later for additional compensation because your condition became worse or your expenses turned out to be greater than expected.
A lawyer can take over communications with the insurer, evaluate settlement proposals, present the full extent of your losses, negotiate for an appropriate resolution, and prepare to take the case further when the insurance company will not offer fair compensation.
At Weir & Kestner, our goal is to take that burden off our clients so they can concentrate on their health and their families while we concentrate on their financial recovery.
Tennessee Gives Injured People Limited Time to File a Claim
Time is particularly important in Tennessee personal injury cases. In general, an action for personal injuries must be filed within one year after the accident. Certain exceptions can apply, including a statutory exception in some situations involving criminal prosecution, but injured people should never assume an exception will extend their deadline.
This short timeframe makes it important to speak with a lawyer promptly after a serious collision. Waiting can jeopardize your legal rights and can also give an insurance company more time to control the claims process before you have someone advocating for your interests.
Personal Service From the Beginning of Your Case
Recovering from a car accident can be hard enough without struggling to get answers from your own law firm. Weir & Kestner takes a client-centered approach to personal injury representation. Every case is assigned a dedicated case manager who helps keep the client informed and the case moving forward. Clients also speak with a lawyer from the beginning so important legal issues can be addressed promptly.
We want our clients to understand what is happening, what comes next, and why particular decisions matter. Just as importantly, we want them to know that someone is available when questions arise.
Our attorneys know the insurance industry because we once represented its interests. Now we put that knowledge to work for people whose lives have been disrupted by serious injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions About Murfreesboro Car Accidents
How much insurance is a Tennessee driver required to carry?
Tennessee’s current minimum liability requirements are $25,000 for injury or death to one person, $50,000 for total injuries or deaths in a single accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Because serious injuries can exceed those amounts, an attorney can review the circumstances and applicable policies to determine what compensation may be available.
Can I recover compensation if I was partly responsible for the accident?
Under Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule, you may recover if you are less than 50 percent at fault (and prove your case). Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility. At 50 percent fault or more, you cannot recover.
How long do I have to file a car accident injury lawsuit?
Tennessee provides a one-year limitations period for personal injury actions. Some circumstances can affect the deadline, so you should not wait until the end of that period to seek legal advice. Vehicle damage claims have a three-year limitations period.
Should I accept the insurance company’s offer to settle my claim?
You are not required to accept an initial offer. Before settling, it is important to understand the extent of your injuries, anticipated future treatment, lost income, and other damages. An early offer might not account for losses that have not yet become clear, and accepting a settlement ends your ability to seek additional compensation from the settling party for the claim.
Why hire a lawyer if the insurance company has already accepted fault?
Accepting responsibility for an accident and agreeing on the value of an injury claim are two different things. Even when fault is not seriously disputed, disagreements can arise over medical treatment, future care, lost earnings, pain and suffering, permanent limitations, and other damages. An attorney can focus on maximizing the compensation available rather than simply establishing who caused the collision.
Talk to a Murfreesboro Car Accident Lawyer for Free
After a serious car accident, you deserve the opportunity to focus on getting better rather than spending your days arguing with an insurance company.
Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers can handle the insurance claim, protect your interests, and fight for compensation that reflects the full impact the accident has had on your life. With former insurance defense attorneys advocating for you, a dedicated case manager assigned to your case, and direct access to a lawyer from the start, you will have a team focused on both your recovery and your experience as a client.
Contact Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation with a Murfreesboro car accident lawyer. You pay no attorney’s fee unless we obtain a recovery for you.