Our Tennessee Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Share How Legal Counsel Can Help You Get a Fair Settlement
If you or a loved one has been struck by a motor vehicle, working with an experienced pedestrian accident attorney can provide you with the best chance of receiving fair compensation for the injuries and losses you suffered as a result of the accident. The Nashville area personal injury lawyers at GriffithLaw have the experience and knowledge to represent you in your Tennessee pedestrian accident case.
Pedestrian Accidents: Common Causes and Types
Pedestrian accidents are all too common and can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Distracted driving is a very common cause of pedestrian accidents but certainly isn’t the only culprit. Sometimes, a driver might not see a pedestrian in their path, especially when the driver is turning or backing up or when their vision is impaired by glare. In other situations, a driver may see a pedestrian but not realize that they should yield the right-of-way to the person who is on foot.
Pedestrian Accidents Lead to Serious Injuries
Regardless of the cause of the accident, when a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, there is nothing to absorb the impact of the car or the pavement. This is why pedestrian accidents typically result in serious injuries or even death. Common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Head and neck injuries
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
Possible Damages in a Pedestrian Accident Case
If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, you should be entitled to recover personal injury damages for:
- Medical expenses related to injuries you sustained in the accident
- Lost income for the time you were unable to work due to the accident
- The pain and suffering you experienced as a result of being hit by a vehicle
- Emotional distress brought on by the accident and its effects
Depending on the circumstances of your injury, you may also be entitled to compensation for other damages, such as for scarring, disfigurement, or loss of enjoyment of life.
How Pedestrian Accident Claims Can Be Difficult and Contentious
The monetary value of damages in a pedestrian accident can vary greatly, based on the severity of the accident and your resulting injuries, as well as how effectively your lawyer is able to negotiate with the responsible parties and their insurance companies during settlement negotiations or litigation. That’s why working with an experienced personal injury with a track record of success in pedestrian accident cases is so important.
The process of working with the insurance company for the driver who hit you is not a collaborative one; in fact, it can be quite contentious. Sure, the driver’s insurance company may portray themselves as being concerned for you and your well-being, but that is never their goal. Instead, the insurance company could try to understate the scope and severity of your injuries to reduce the amount their company has to pay. They may even try to trick you into accepting at least some of the blame for the accident. Comparative negligence applies in Tennessee personal injury cases, so:
- If you say something that the insurance company can make seem like you are accepting the blame for being partially at fault for the accident, your financial recovery would be reduced proportionately.
- If the insurance company can get you to say something that makes it seem like you were more than 50% to blame for the accident, under Tennessee law, you would not be entitled to receive any compensation.
Clearly, the driver’s insurance company is not looking out for your interests, and you shouldn’t trust them. They are there to represent the interests of their company, so their goal is always to pay out the smallest settlement possible. Rather than letting them trick you or convince you to accept less than you deserve, you need to fight for the compensation you deserve. That’s exactly what the skilled personal injury attorneys at GriffithLaw will do when you hire us to represent you.
Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Fight Back on Your Behalf
An experienced attorney who knows the strategies the insurance company will try to use knows how to keep them from tricking you into accepting a lower settlement than you are entitled to receive. A knowledgeable attorney, such as the pedestrian accident lawyers at Griffith Law, will work diligently to help you overcome any obstacles the driver’s insurance company tries to use to block your ability to get the compensation you deserve.
You need a lawyer who can gather, organize, and submit evidence that clearly shows what happened, as this will help position you to get an appropriate settlement based on the facts of your case. Our team will work diligently on your behalf to make sure this happens. From gathering and presenting evidence to putting a stop to tricky insurance tactics, the pedestrian accident attorneys at GriffithLaw will push back when the insurance company crosses the line and tries to wrongfully blame or undercut you so you can get the verdict or settlement you deserve.