Personal injury attorneys specialize in tort law and are licensed to represent people who have been injured in accidents caused by another party.
Under Tennessee personal injury law, if a person's actions or behavior harms others, victims are entitled to take legal action to hold them accountable and recover compensation.
A professional with experience in personal injury cases can guide injured people through the legal process, advising them on how to file a lawsuit against the liable party and handling other essential tasks.
This article contains more information about what a personal injury attorney can do for accident victims.
Types of Cases that Personal Injury Lawyers Usually Handle
As mentioned, a personal injury attorney is a licensed legal practitioner who specializes in tort law, which covers cases where an injured person (plaintiff) initiates legal action against the party who is allegedly responsible for their damages and losses (defendant).
However, all accident cases are different, so attorneys can specialize in several personal injury practice areas, including the following:
Motor vehicle accidents: These cases involve people who have been injured in a car accident and file a personal injury lawsuit against the party who is allegedly responsible for the crash.
Slip and fall accidents: In these cases, which are often handled under premises liability rules, a visitor to a property often sues the owner of such premises because they were injured there.
Property damage cases: Some personal injury claims don't focus on physical injuries but on damage to property, such as a vehicle or home. Plaintiffs often pursue compensation for repairs to damaged belongings.
Defective products: Also covered under the premise liability practice area, these cases involve people who are injured by a malfunctioning product and find the manufacturer or another party responsible for the defect.
Medical malpractice cases: When medical treatment is inadequate, and patients are injured as a result, they can take legal action against the healthcare provider.
Wrongful death lawsuits: This practice area focuses on cases where victims don't recover but unfortunately lose their lives, and their loved ones file a personal injury lawsuit on their behalf.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
The top personal injury lawyer in Nashville may have many responsibilities throughout the legal process, as they offer guidance to victims, help them build their cases, and handle other tasks to allow injured people to focus on their recovery.
Common Duties of Personal Injury Lawyers
These are some of the duties of a personal injury attorney:
Evaluate and Investigate the Case
Personal injury attorneys understand how the legal system works and can evaluate accident victims' cases, checking the facts and determining whether there is actually a chance of obtaining a favorable verdict or negotiating a fair settlement.
Collect Evidence
Victims are required to prove that the defendant actually caused the accident by acting negligently or recklessly in order to win the case and recover compensation. An experienced personal injury attorney can assist with this task, helping plaintiffs gather strong evidence to support their claims, such as medical records, police reports, and witness testimonies.
File the Personal Injury Claim
The personal injury attorney is responsible for filing the claim with the court and handling every aspect of the process, such as injunctions and motions.
Negotiate Settlement with Insurance Companies
In Nashville, Tennessee, most types of personal injury cases don't go to trial but are settled out of court. However, insurance companies always try to reduce the settlement amount.
Fortunately, an experienced personal injury lawyer knows the tactics that insurance adjusters often use to lure claimants into accepting lowball offers and is skilled enough to handle settlement negotiations to secure the best possible outcome.
Represent Victims in Court
If insurance companies and lawyers cannot agree on a fair settlement, victims can take legal action to hold at-fault parties accountable and recover compensation.
Personal injury attorneys file lawsuits and represent plaintiffs in court, helping them prove liability and presenting evidence to support their claims.
Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Those who have been injured in a car accident know that the legal process they must go through to try to recover compensation is intricate. Plus, they still need to recover physically, emotionally, and financially. They're also able to help with questions such as is it illegal to drive with high beams on in TN?
Some injuries cause pain and overwhelming symptoms. Also, personal injury victims often see their bills pile up as their medical expenses increase.
Dealing with an insurance company and its adjusters is also challenging. They won't protect the interests of the victims but will try to reduce the amount they must pay to compensate them.
Luckily, personal injury lawyers can handle all of this and guide injured people through the legal process while protecting their rights and going the extra mile to recover the compensation they deserve.
How to Choose the Right Personal Injury Lawyer
Choosing the right personal injury attorney is an important decision that accident victims shouldn't take lightly. A skilled, professional, and reliable lawyer can help them understand the legal system, collect all forms of evidence and documents they need for their claims, and handle all legal proceedings, even if the case goes to court.
Individuals who have been injured in an accident caused by someone else and now need help from an experienced attorney should consider several factors before hiring one, including the following:
Their specialization in personal injury law
The resources they offer
The reputation of the personal injury law firms they're contacting
The payment model
Their experience in similar cases
Their trustworthiness
Comments from other clients
Whether they have a strong track record for success
Find a Reliable Personal Injury Lawyer at Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys
If injured in an accident caused by another person's negligence, misconduct, or carelessness, victims may need help from a personal injury lawyer to build a solid case and initiate legal action against at-fault parties.
An attorney with extensive experience in personal injury cases can make all the difference, as they know how the Tennessee legal system works, can handle talks with an insurance company, and will always go the extra mile to recover compensation for victims.
At Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys, we specialize in several personal injury practice areas and are ready to help victims fight for their rights. Contact us today!