Chattanooga Car Accident Lawyer
Motor Vehicle Crashes in the Chattanooga Area
Pursuing Damages Sustained in a Hamilton County Car Wreck
Chattanooga drivers owe other drivers on the road a duty to drive safely. This includes acting reasonably under the circumstances. If a driver fails to live up to this standard, it is likely that he or she will be considered negligent. Sometimes a court will rule that a defendant was negligent as a matter of law, or negligent per se. Under this doctrine, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant violated a statute or ordinance that imposes a duty or prohibits certain actions for the benefit of the public, and that the plaintiff was within that class of persons that the statute or ordinance was intended to benefit or protect.
Under Tennessee law, an accident victim may recover damages for injuries or losses caused by someone else’s wrongdoing. Our Chattanooga lawyers can help car accident victims with this process. Many times, insurance companies dispute the validity of damages presented by an injured victim. Certain damages are straightforward when it comes to documenting them. These typically include economic losses, such as medical bills and lost wages. Intangible losses, also referred to as non-economic damages, are not as straightforward. These are losses such as loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium.
In Tennessee, loss of consortium occurs when family members sustain damages due to the victim being injured. For example, the spouse of the injured victim can potentially recover damages caused by the wreck. Depending on the facts of the case, damages may be recovered for loss of companionship, loss of affection, and loss of services such as household chores.
Loss of consortium damages are most prevalent in cases where the victim passes away or sustains a permanent injury like paralysis. They are not directly quantifiable, meaning there is no specific amount for them under the law. Instead, they are often determined by a judge or jury. Thus, this portion of a case must be properly documented and relayed to the jury in a persuasive manner. Witness testimony can be useful in these situations.
Retain an Experienced Chattanooga Attorney Following a Car Accident
If you have been hurt in a collision in East Tennessee, the Chattanooga car accident lawyers at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz are ready to help. Our car and truck crash attorneys have experience representing clients who have sustained many types of injuries, including soft tissue injuries, paralysis, nerve injuries, and permanent scarring. We represent clients across Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri, including in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Jackson, Meridian, Tupelo, Columbus, Grenada, Starkville, Oxford, Hayti, and Caruthersville. Contact our office by calling 800-529-4004 or by completing our online form to set up a free initial consultation.