Whether you live in Tennessee or not, you probably know that Nashville is the Southern tourist destination for country music lovers, nature lovers, and fun-lovers. Every year, over 13 million tourists flood into the city to take a look at the Grand Ole Opry and her beautiful gardens, walk through the Greek replica of the Parthenon, or just soak up Southern comforts. Unfortunately, all of this tourist traffic, although wonderful for the economy, also raises concerns for safety—especially road safety.
Causes of Tourist Accidents
In addition to its high rate of tourism, Nashville has the second highest car accident injury rate in the state—Memphis, another large tourist city, holds the #1 spot. The number of accidents in this area cannot all be contributed to tourist traffic. However, it’s important to know that tourists are involved in traffic collisions and suffer severe injuries as a result.
Sadly, car collisions are only one worry for Nashville vacationers. Tourists can be injured in a variety of other accidents while away from home, including:
- Bicycle accidents. Whether you bring along your own bike or rent a bike locally, you could be in danger when riding on Nashville roads.
- Truck accidents. Tennessee sees a lot of commercial truck crashes and you could be the victim of a T-bone, jackknife, underride accident, or rollover.
- Motorcycle accidents. Nashville welcomes motorcycle tourists, but they must be careful to avoid intersection collisions, T-bones, sideswipes, and rolls.
- Pedestrian accidents. Tourists who do not know their way around Nashville may not be aware of traffic patterns when crossing the street, putting them at risk for a pedestrian accident.
- Bus accidents. Nashville is a popular destination for bus tours, but busses can be involved in crashes as easily as cars and trucks.
- Slip and fall accidents. Many public places, such as hotel lobbies, attractions, restaurants, and shopping centers pose slip and fall hazards, endangering tourists.
For a free legal consultation, call (615) 807 7900
Why You Want a Local Accident Lawyer
When you’re a tourist who has been involved in an accident while on vacation, knowing how to proceed legally can be confusing. You may have questions such as:
- Do I wait until I’m back home to file a suit?
- Do I have to remain in Nashville until the incident is settled?
- Do I have to be represented by a lawyer from my hometown or state?
- Where do I turn?
Your best option to ensure that your rights are being upheld is to secure a local lawyer as soon as possible. Your case will be handled in the city where the accident took place, so it makes sense to hire an experienced local lawyer.
A local lawyer will also have better insight than one from out of town on the laws and procedures of his city and state. We have outlined some of the biggest mistakes out-of-state lawyers make on Tennessee cases. Some of these insights include familiarity with Nashville’s:
- Statute of Limitations. With a time limit to file of one year, Tennessee has one of the shortest statute of limitations of any state. An lawyer who is unfamiliar with this fact may delay filing to the point where your case will no longer be valid.
- Courts and judiciary system. A local lawyer will most likely have dealt face-to-face with local courts, judges, and insurance companies. This type of familiarity cannot only prevent miscommunications, but can also give you an edge if the lawyer knows what techniques work and don’t work for presenting your case.
- Resources. A local lawyer will not only know how to secure necessary evidence from the scene of the accident, but he’ll also have his own local resources to make sure that evidence is preserved—as long as you secure his representation early.
If you’ve been injured in an accident while visiting Nashville, contact our office today at 615-807-7900. We’ve spent our careers developing a rapport with the Nashville community. By scheduling your FREE consultation with us, you can go back home knowing that your case is in good hands. If the accident requires litigation, we’ll be here to walk you through your role and make sure your rights are upheld. Call us today and see how we can help rescue a vacation gone wrong.
| Related Links: |
Call or text (615) 807 7900 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form