Knoxville Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Under Tennessee law, for a pedestrian to recover for injuries after a wreck in Knoxville, he or she usually must prove that the driver was negligent, which generally means failing to act in a reasonable manner given the circumstances. This can be shown by proving the driver did not drive in a safe manner, such as speeding, running a red light, or making an improper turn.

Often, the driver will try and place most, if not all, of the blame on the pedestrian for being hit. The defendant will raise arguments that the pedestrian was not paying attention, not using a proper crosswalk, or that the pedestrian crossed against the traffic signals. Comparative fault is allowed as a defense and can impact the victim’s recovery. Under the law, the pedestrian’s recovery can be reduced by any percentage of negligence attributed to him or her. This is why many insurance carriers contact victims soon after a wreck, to get them to make an admission damaging to their case. After working as pedestrian accident attorneys in Knoxville for more than 30 years, we expect these arguments and are prepared to counteract them as they arise.

If a pedestrian is injured by a negligent driver, economic and non-economic damages may be recovered. Medical bills and lost wages generally fall into the economic damages category. Non-economic damages generally cover pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, permanent disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life, among others. For both economic and non-economic damages, it is important to secure the documentation needed to prove the full extent of your losses. This may include medical or economic experts testifying on your behalf. Retaining an experienced pedestrian attorney in the Knoxville area could make the difference between obtaining all that you are entitled to or a settlement that will not even cover your out of pocket expenses.

From 2013 to 2014, the number of pedestrians involved in fatal accidents in Knoxville increased from four to seven. Admittedly, they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fatalities on the area’s roads, which correspondingly dropped from 40 to 33 in that span. In four of the last five years, however, more pedestrians have died on roads in Knoxville per 100,000 residents than in Tennessee overall. They are not likely to be found on roads with high-speed traffic like I-40 or I-275, but accident statistics for the Knoxville area show that many fatal accidents occur on streets near the University of Tennessee campus where the sidewalks are filled with students and others.