Nashville
Fatal
Car Accident Lawyers
The worst possible outcome of a car accident is the death of a loved one. The unexpected tragedy of a fatal car accident has far-reaching effects on quality of life, emotional well-being, family structure and finances.
Nothing can bring back a loved one killed by a negligent driver, but the Nashville car accident lawyers at NST Law can help you gain compensation to provide financial relief after a family member dies in a Nashville car accident.
Table Of Contents
- Fatal Car Accidents in Nashville
- How a Nashville Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
- Compensation for a Nashville Fatal Car Accident
- Time is Limited After a Fatal Car Accident in Nashville
- Don’t Wait to Contact a Nashville Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
- Liability After a Fatal Car Accident in Nashville
- Who can take legal action after a fatal car accident in Nashville?
- How much does a fatal car accident lawyer cost?
- Will a fatal car accident case go to court?
- NST Law Fights for Justice
Fatal Car Accidents in Nashville
Despite efforts by city planners and law enforcement to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians, Nashville’s rate of deadly car accidents has continued to increase in recent years.
In 2022, Nashville ranked 24th in the nation for the most deadly car accidents. An alarming amount of these deadly accidents are repeated in the same locations throughout the city.
One study of fatal car accidents across Nashville confirmed that the intersection at Hickory Hollow and Mt. View Road is the city’s deadliest intersection, largely due to poor visibility caused by the intersection’s curved Y-shape.
For most people, a fatal car accident is simply a sad story on the Nashville evening news—until it happens to someone you love. While nothing can bring back a family member after a tragic accident, a Nashville fatal car accident lawyer can help ensure you don’t suffer financially after a loved one’s death.
How a Nashville Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
A Nashville car accident lawyer works to ensure you receive the maximum compensation possible after the loss of a loved one. A lawyer will assess the costs incurred by the accident and the financial and emotional losses. Based on this, they’ll identify a target compensation to pursue.
A lawyer will first seek compensation options directly through the insurance companies of all drivers involved in the crash. Even if insurance alone can provide adequate compensation, it’s crucial to work with an attorney. An insurance company’s offer is nearly always lower if you’re not working with a lawyer.
When an insurance company doesn’t cooperate, a lawyer can initiate legal action to hold them and the other driver accountable.
Compensation for a Nashville Fatal Car Accident
Potential compensation for a fatal car accident in Nashville depends on many factors. Compensation reimburses a family for all financial losses related to the accident, including:
- Medical and ambulance bills
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of wages and benefits
Compensation also covers non-financial aspects of a loss. These include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
The state of Tennessee places a cap on these non-economic damages. Unless certain conditions apply, non-economic compensation cannot exceed $750,000.
Time is Limited After a Fatal Car Accident in Nashville
Time is limited if you plan to pursue compensation after a Nashville car accident causes a family member’s death. Your attorney must gather evidence regarding the accident and work with the insurance company to seek compensation through existing policies.
If an insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, your lawyer will need to initiate a wrongful death action. Insurance companies know that court proceedings are a drawn-out, expensive affair. Once a wrongful death suit is initiated, a reluctant insurance company will be more likely to negotiate to avoid court.
The law sets time limits on taking these legal steps. According to the Tennessee Code, the statute of limitations on filing a wrongful death claim is one year. If you hope to gain compensation, you must contact a lawyer quickly.
Don’t Wait to Contact a Nashville Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
The sooner you involve a lawyer after a fatal Nashville car accident, the more likely you will gain compensation. Contact an attorney immediately after the accident. Don’t communicate with any insurance company until you’ve received legal advice.
Unless you have experience working with insurance companies, you probably don’t realize how your words can be used against you. Attorneys don’t just work to maximize the amount you can receive—they also protect you from disqualifying yourself by saying something that could reduce the amount you’re eligible for.
Liability After a Fatal Car Accident in Nashville
Gaining compensation for wrongful death is a matter of proving negligence. If you prove the responsible driver acted negligently, they are then liable for the death and damage.
Tennessee is a modified comparative negligence state. This means that liability will be split by percentage if the deceased is partially responsible for the accident. As long as your loved one was less than 50 percent at fault, you can recover compensation—but it will be reduced by the percentage of the responsibility they bear.
Who can take legal action after a fatal car accident in Nashville?
When an accident ends in death, the type of legal proceeding is called a wrongful death action. There are limits to who can initiate this. You must be closely related to the deceased. Children, parents, spouses and legal guardians are the only individuals with standing to pursue compensation in the event of wrongful death. The personal representative or administrator of the decedent’s estate may have standing to pursue the claim on behalf of all wrongful death beneficiaries.
How much does a fatal car accident lawyer cost?
It’s hard to estimate how much a lawyer will cost because it depends on how much work goes into a case. Some cases resolve quickly through straightforward negotiation. Other cases require more work from a lawyer, such as conducting an investigation, collecting witness and expert testimony, or representing you in court.
Because costs are difficult to predict, the personal injury attorney sat NST Law work on a contingency basis. With this arrangement, you only have to pay your lawyer if the firm wins you compensation.
Will a fatal car accident case go to court?
Suppose that you hope to gain compensation after a loved one is killed in a Nashville car accident. In that case, you need to work with a personal injury lawyer to navigate insurance claims and pursue a wrongful death suit. A case can go to civil court, but most personal injury cases are settled out of court.
NST Law Fights for Justice
NST Law is a national leader when it comes to providing financial relief to those who have suffered through others’ negligent acts. Our Nashville team handles all kinds of personal injury cases, including fatal car accidents and wrongful death.
The NST Law track record speaks for itself. Over the past 30 years, our team has recovered more than $1.5 billion in compensation for our clients. We have a strong record of achieving car accident settlement amounts that reach six and seven figures.
If your loved one has been killed in a Nashville car accident, the team at NST Law knows how to maximize the compensation you’re eligible for. Don’t wait to take legal action over a fatal Nashville car accident.
Contact us for a free consultation now so that we can review your case and decide how we can best help you.
2323 21st Avenue South
Suite 500
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-235-0766
Fax: 615-257-6797