Car accidents are startling, sometimes even terrifying. One minute you’re driving along, and the next you’re stopped with smoke spewing from your car. You may or may not be injured, but one thing’s for sure: if you were involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you have the legal right to pursue compensation from the person who caused the crash.
Unfortunately, many car accidents in Nashville are caused by negligence. Some people text and drive and cause wrecks; others are drunk when they hit someone. Whatever the case, you deserve compensation to pay for your medical bills, lost income, and more.
Don’t wait to exercise your rights. Call a top car accident attorney in Nashville today.
Car Accident Statistics for Nashville and Tennessee
Tennessee has experienced a concerning trend in the last few years. Six months remain in 2021, but there have already been 836 traffic fatalities, an increase of 11.8% from 2020, which saw 748 traffic deaths.
From January to August 2021, Nashville has already seen 3,816 car accidents involving injuries. Some of those were minor, but some were so serious that the victims’ lives have been forever changed.
Car accidents happen quickly, but the consequences last a lifetime. If you or a loved one were injured in a car wreck in Nashville, you need the help of an experienced car accident attorney to fight for you and get you maximum compensation. Call today for more information.
Reporting the Accident
When the smoke clears after your car crash, you’re left with lots of questions. Who caused the accident? Should I see a doctor? How much will it cost to fix my car?
These are all valid concerns. Many auto accidents have a steep financial, physical, and mental price. However, you can relieve some of the stress if you know who to call after an accident.
If you weren’t seriously injured and don’t need to visit the hospital, you should contact the police, your insurance company, and a top car accident attorney in Nashville. You may have a lot to worry about after an accident, but taking these steps will save you time and money.
Reporting an Accident to Police
It’s incredibly important that you notify the police after being involved in a collision, even if the accident caused minimal damage to your vehicle or person. There are several reasons for this.
A police report can help validate your personal injury claim.
After a car accident, you may be shaken up or confused and unable to collect the proper information to pursue litigation against the at-fault driver. You may not even know who or what caused the accident. Police reports contain an assessment of property and bodily damage with their professional opinion of who caused the crash.
Keep in mind that because this is an opinion, police reports cannot be used in any court higher than the small claims level. However, they are extremely useful in settlement negotiations with insurance.
People aren’t always honest.
It’s unfortunate but especially true in circumstances where there may be costly damage to your vehicle. Never accept money from the other driver in exchange for not calling the cops. If you take their money and do not call the police, you may realize later that the money came nowhere close to covering the damage, and then you have to pay for everything out of pocket.
You may make a mistake and regret it later.
It’s rare to see people completely unfazed after a car accident. More often, an individual is shaken up, confused, and maybe even delirious if they suffered a head injury.
At the scene, you may try to brush off the accident and leave. But shortly after, you may regret not calling the police and obtaining a report that could help you receive compensation for injuries, property damage, and other expenses.
Reporting an Accident to Insurance
You should notify your insurance carrier of your accident regardless of who was at fault. It is a common myth that you don’t need to report an accident to your own insurance if the other driver caused the accident. Even if you weren’t at fault, you may be able to use coverage from your insurance policy to pay for vehicle damage and medical bills.
Filing a Claim with Your Insurance Provider
If you have the following types of coverage, consider filing a claim with your own insurer:
- Collision insurance. This type of optional coverage protects your vehicle from accident damages in the event of a crash, regardless of who was at fault.
- Medical payments. This type of coverage may help pay any medical expenses you or your passenger(s) incur from a car accident, regardless of who was at fault.
Reporting an Accident to Your Lawyer
If you were injured or your vehicle was damaged in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you should consider hiring a car accident attorney to help you recover compensation. Personal injury attorneys are experienced in taking action against insurance carriers that deny their clients’ claims.
Insurance is a business; these companies try to keep costs down and give minimal payments to victims if an attorney is not involved. Without legal representation, the claims process can drag on and you may decide to forget the whole claim or compromise for a much lower payment than you deserve.
Maximum Compensation for Your Car Accident Injuries
The maximum amount of compensation varies from case to case and depends on many factors, including the severity of your injuries and the cost of medical treatment. In many cases, recovery is initially limited to the amount of available insurance.
However, a competent Nashville car accident attorney can help you obtain maximum compensation by being organized, thorough, and consistent.
A top car accident attorney in Nashville will ask that you keep all records of medical treatment, including initial doctor’s appointments and even “small” charges for medication. They’ll speak to your doctor and get a full idea of the cost of future treatment, then they’ll present both your past and future costs to the insurance company or the other party’s attorneys.
This is a thorough process that may take some time, as you don’t want to settle for anything until you know exactly how much your medical bills will cost. However, it’s the best way to receive maximum compensation for your injuries.
Causes of Car Accidents in Nashville
Most car accidents are preventable. Unfortunately, the majority of car accidents in Nashville are the result of driver error, often due to negligence or recklessness.
It’s important to note that an accident may have more than one cause, and several people may be involved. These complexities make it necessary to call and hire a top Nashville car accident attorney. They’ll conduct a thorough investigation of the case and work to determine which party or parties were liable for the accident and are responsible for paying you damages.
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Distracted Driving
In 2021, insurance personalization site The Zebra asked American drivers about their distracted driving habits. More than 52% of the respondents reported eating while driving; 23.6% said they text and drive; 11.7% take pictures behind the wheel, and 6.5% reported applying makeup while driving.
Perhaps even more startling is the statistic that found that only 36.4% of American drivers agree that using a mobile device hinders their ability to drive. That leaves 64% who don’t agree that it’s dangerous to use the phone while driving. These are dangerous attitudes, and even the “simple” act of texting can cause devastating accidents.
Any activity that takes a driver’s eyes from the road can be considered distracted driving. That includes reading, eating, turning around to talk to their child, and much more.
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Drunk Driving
In 2020, there were 7,272 alcohol-related car crashes in Tennessee. Of that, there were 4,604 injuries and 435 deaths.
Alcohol and other drugs significantly impair a person’s ability to drive. Safe driving requires concentration, good judgment, and quick reaction time, all of which are impaired under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Even legally obtained prescription drugs can be dangerous when taken before driving, so you should always consult your doctor and ask them if it’s safe to drive while on the prescription.
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Speeding
Driving often creates feelings of invincibility. When a person feels like they’re out of harm’s way, they’re more likely to engage in risky behaviors. One of the riskiest behaviors is speeding.
Many people speed; most probably don’t see a problem with driving a little faster than they should. But speeding is extremely dangerous and causes tens of thousands of accidents in Tennessee every year. Driving faster requires a faster reaction time to brake properly as well as a longer braking distance and increased risk of losing control of the vehicle.
Speeding also affects the severity of a crash, putting those involved at higher risk for serious injury or death.
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Reckless Driving
Reckless driving refers to behaviors that put the driver and others at risk, intentionally or not. Reckless driving includes switching lanes too quickly, blatantly disregarding others’ safety or property, and failing to abide by cautionary measures (Watch for Children signs, Construction Ahead, etc.).
Road rage is a leading cause of reckless driving. It can be frustrating to be stuck behind someone driving too slow for your taste, but getting angry and speeding while switching lanes too quickly puts yourself and others at risk.
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Fatigue
Everyone has experienced the warm sleepiness that comes from driving for hours on a monotonous highway. The situation becomes dangerous when the sleepiness goes beyond monotony and involves someone being so tired that they can’t make good judgments or react quickly to changing situations.
Fatigue is a major factor for accidents that occur on major highways and interstates where people often travel for 12+ hours without sleeping.
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Running Red Lights and Stop Signs
Red lights and stop signs are in place for a reason – they keep people safe. Unfortunately, some people feel like it’s worth putting themselves and others in danger to get to their destination on time. For many people, getting somewhere on time means running red lights or failing to stop at stop signs.
These are extremely dangerous choices. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 40% of car accidents occur at intersections, many of which happen when people run red lights.
How can I get compensation through health insurance to help pay for treatment?
Patience is often necessary if you expect compensation from a liability insurance policy. While you wait, you may need costly treatment that depletes your savings or gets creditors on your back. Here are two ways you can pay for your medical treatment with insurance:
Health Insurance Claims
Your health insurance provider can pay for medical treatment. If you were injured as a passenger, you’re responsible for the deductible and copays along with charges that the policy does not cover.
MedPay Coverage
Your personal car insurance policy may include coverage for medical payments, regardless of who was at fault in an accident. These payments are helpful because they are typically paid out much more promptly than other types of policies.
There are some drawbacks. MedPay only covers medical bills. MedPay will not compensate you for pain and suffering, damaged property, or lost wages. It also may not be enough to cover severe injuries from serious accidents.
You can pursue compensation through both a MedPay claim and a third-party liability insurance policy of the driver or vehicle owner. However, you cannot receive a double recovery through MedPay and liability insurance. The compensation you receive through MedPay for your medical bills will be subtracted from the medical compensation awarded through liability insurance.
Call the Best Car Accident Attorney in Nashville Today
Car accidents happen in the blink of an eye, but they leave victims with lifelong injuries and trauma. If you or a loved one were injured in a Nashville car crash that was not your fault, you have the legal right to pursue compensation from the responsible party.
A top car accident attorney in Nashville will help you get every dime of the money you deserve. Call today to learn how we’ll fight for you and your family.
Car Accident Questions and Answers
Why should I hire a car accident lawyer in Nashville?
You should hire an attorney after being in a car accident because they’ll get you maximum compensation for your injuries. They’ll collect evidence, witness testimony, and if necessary, expert testimony. They can convince the other party’s attorneys or the court that you deserve the amount requested.
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll obtain anywhere near the amount of money that you need by representing yourself. If you don’t have a lawyer, you’re practically inviting the insurance company to deny your claim. Unless you have law experience, the insurance company will assume you don’t know what you’re talking about, and will try to get you to settle for an amount of money that is far less than what you need.
What should I tell insurance after a car accident?
This is one of the most important things to remember after being involved in a car accident: the insurance company is not your friend. They’re not looking out for you, and they definitely don’t have your best interests in mind. As a business, the insurance company is trying to make money and does so by giving you the least amount of money possible.
For that reason, you should try and say as little as possible to them after the accident. You can confirm your name, contact information, and address, but don’t mention anything about your injuries.
Never say anything that could make you appear at fault for the accident – things like “I’m sorry,” or “I didn’t mean to.” Statements like these can be recorded over the phone and used against you to lower your recovery amount.