Tennessee injury laws allow victims to recover the full amount of any costs paid out of pocket as a result of the injury, known as economic damages. While there is no cap on economic damages in Tennessee, the state does impose some limits on non-economic damages, commonly known as pain and suffering.
Compensation Available in a Tennessee Personal Injury Case
Victims should know that Tennessee injury laws base injury compensation on the amount of fault each party bears for the accident. If an injured person is found to be partially at fault, his or her damages may be reduced by his or her percentage of fault. For this reason, it is vital to speak with an attorney to ensure you are not assigned an unfair share of the blame. Common forms of damages in injury cases include reimbursement for:
- Medical costs. Injured parties are entitled to recoup the full costs of medical bills related to the injury, including hospital stays, surgeries, ongoing medical appointments, physical therapy, assistive devices, nursing care, and prescription medications.
- Lost income. Victims can suffer financially as a result of missing work days, dropping to part-time, or being forced to change careers due to an injury. Compensation should include lost wages, lost bonuses, lost career opportunities (such as promotions and work-related travel) and the loss of future income.
- Pain and suffering. Non-economic damages are awarded to victims who have suffered permanent paralysis, lost quality of life, or other lifelong effects of an injury. Each state is allowed to set its own limits on the amount of non-economic damages available in injury cases. Tennessee caps most non-economic damages in injury cases at $750,000, but that cap can be raised to $1,000,000 if the injuries include amputation of a limb, paralysis from a spinal cord injury, severe burns, or the death of a minor child's parent.
- Wrongful death. Family members who have lost a loved one are able to collect special damages such as funeral and burial costs, as well as an amount to compensate them for the loss of the loved one’s potential future earnings.
If you are struggling after a serious injury, our lawyers can discuss your next steps in your free initial consultation, and we do not collect anything unless we secure a recovery for you. To learn more about your claim, please fill out the short contact form on this page or download a free copy of our book, The 10 Worst Mistakes You Can Make With Your Tennessee Injury Case.
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