Car accidents can have many outcomes. While most of them are thankfully minor and easy to resolve, sometimes they can be complicated or confusing — especially if you've been injured. You may be wondering what an accident attorney does and how their services can help you after you’ve been in an auto accident.

Before deciding on how you proceed with your car accident claim, it's important to know what an accident attorney in Tennessee can do to help you.

Finding Medical Help

Seeking medical treatment is an important step after a car crash. Timely medical treatment is crucial for both your recovery and your injury claim. Even if you feel okay, be sure to see a doctor. They can make sure you don't have any hidden problems.

Finding a doctor might sound like a simple task, but sometimes it can take time. Your personal health insurance may not cover the bill, or you may not have coverage for medical payments under your own insurance policy. In both of these instances, an accident attorney can help you.

Car accident lawyers develop many professional relationships in their careers, and they'll use these resources to help you on your path to recovery. Whether you're looking for medical advice or a provider for ongoing treatment, your auto accident lawyer can find doctors who specialize in the treatment you need in Tennessee.

Investigating Accidents

One major service an accident attorney provides is a legal review of your accident. Accident.com offers free consultations with a nationwide network of attorneys who can jumpstart this process for you. Once you provide the details of your accident to an attorney, they will look into the legal aspects of your case and assess your damages. Damages can range from physical injuries to compensation for emotional harm.

Your auto accident lawyer will then give you advice on how to proceed with your claim based on their findings, and they'll provide a follow-up for information they need to ensure the best possible outcome for your claim.

Reviewing Legal Language and Protecting Your Rights

The legal aspects of an auto accident can be complicated and confusing. And injuries can create extra time limits or legal demands you may not be aware of. Accident attorneys are trained to understand how the law applies to your accident, and they can provide a strategy based on their analysis.

A local Tennessee auto accident lawyer’s experience with your state and local laws can also eliminate the need for extensive research on your part. Their experience helps protect your rights and maximize your recovery too.

Also, an accident attorney’s legal services extend to insurance claims, which can be just as frustrating to navigate as the legal system. Your Tennessee accident lawyer will not only protect your interests on your insurance claim, but they'll also handle communication to and from the insurance company for you.

Most Common Causes of Accidents in Tennessee

Under Tennessee’s fault-based system, determining the cause of an accident can be a significant factor in establishing liability for the crash or understanding your own potential role in the accident.

Data shows that many crashes could be prevented by following safe driving practices. As a driver, you can make a difference by being aware of the common causes of crashes in Tennessee and being mindful of your driving habits.

Speeding

Speeding is a major issue in Tennessee with some counties reporting more than two speed-related crashes per licensed driver in 2023. On a national level, speeding is behind a third of fatal crashes.

Driving above the speed limit makes collisions deadlier and significantly increases your risk of losing control of your vehicle, striking another car, or hitting a guardrail.

Distracted Driving

Phone use at the wheel is a widespread issue, but there are other forms of distracted driving. Any activity that causes you to take your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel is unsafe.

Tennessee is taking steps to fight distracted driving with a new law for 2024. This new law introduces stricter punishments for phone use at the wheel. Since 1 in 15 drivers involved in a crash is guilty of distracted driving, Tennessee has a long way to go to reduce the frequency of these unnecessary accidents.

Impaired Driving

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a significant factor in deadly crashes. In Tennessee, one in three fatal crashes and one in seven serious accidents involve impaired driving.

Other Contributing Factors

Human errors are a common factor, with practices like following improperly, failing to yield, making improper lane changes, or failing to use turn signals, causing thousands of crashes.

Road design and busy traffic can also contribute to car crashes, as illustrated by the higher rates of crashes reported in urban areas. Other potential factors include driver inexperience, poor visibility, or winter weather conditions.

What Cities Have the Most Accidents in Tennessee?

Deadly crash rates keep increasing in Tennessee. Last year, there were over 1,300 fatalities recorded. Many of these crashes happened in busy urban environments where factors like traffic and unsafe driving practices can be a dangerous mix. 

Memphis

Memphis is the most dangerous city for drivers in the U.S. It’s the city with the most fatal crashes, and the number of fatalities increased by 5% between 2022 and 2023.

Knoxville

A serious crash happens every 37 hours in Knoxville. Data shows that crashes are highly likely to occur at intersections and involve pedestrians and bicyclists.

Clarksville

With 6,800 crashes reported in 2022, Clarksville ranks among the 20 most dangerous driving cities nationwide. The city is growing quickly, making congestion and road design important factors contributing to accidents.

Chattanooga

Between 2022 and 2023, Chattanooga saw a 200% increase in pedestrian fatalities. The city has some particularly dangerous accident hotspots along I-24 and I-75.

Nashville

There were 49 pedestrian deaths in Nashville in 2022. While Nashville doesn’t rank among the most dangerous cities in the country, busy highways and intersections are causing high rates of crashes.

What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in Tennessee?

Some Tennessee roads have a high rate of crashes. It's essential to exercise caution when driving on these roads.

I-40

I-40 is a major east-west axis that connects Nashville to Knoxville. With over 500 traffic deaths recorded over the past decade, this road has a fatality rate of 0.61 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Weather conditions, distracted drivers, and speeding make this interstate highway increasingly dangerous.

I-24

I-24 ranks next with 0.60 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles. This highway runs through the state and includes extremely busy portions in the Nashville and Chattanooga areas. In fact, a majority of crashes reported in Nashville happen on I-40 and I-24.

I-65

With 0.53 deaths per 100 million miles, I-65 is another accident hotspot. This major interstate highway runs on a north-south axis and goes through Nashville. It’s one of the most traveled highways in the country, and the presence of freight trucks often results in deadly pile-ups that involve multiple vehicles.

I-75

I-75 is another interstate highway that runs between Chattanooga and Knoxville. It’s a busy highway where construction, congestion, and the density of freight trucks can make accidents frequent and deadly. When heading south of Knoxville, drivers must watch out for twists and turns as they enter the mountains.

More Accident Hotspots

Navigating busy intersections in urban areas can be dangerous. For instance, the intersection of Lafayette Street and Charles E. Davis Boulevard is one of the deadliest spots in Nashville. For Memphis residents, the intersection of East Shelby Drive and Riverdale Road is one of the spots with the most crashes.

Not all accident hotspots are in urban areas. For instance, a stretch of rural highway in Blount County is known as the Tail of the Dragon and attracts sports car drivers and motorcyclists who engage in unsafe driving on the road’s many twists and turns.

Seeking Compensation and Ensuring a Fair Settlement in Tennessee

When you're ready to seek compensation for your accident, your attorney will help you figure out the types of recovery you can get. You might already be aware of the damages you can see, like physical injuries or damage to your car. But there are other forms of recovery that might apply to your claim, too.

Maybe you lost wages as a result of the accident or are suffering from emotional distress (sometimes called pain and suffering). In these cases, the auto accident attorney will review options with you and determine the best route to maximize your recovery.

Sometimes the only option for recovery is filing a lawsuit. Car accident attorneys can help you in many ways, including filing legal paperwork, preparing for court and identifying facts that could help a jury be more sympathetic to your case.

Insurance company settlements can also be difficult to negotiate without a Tennessee accident lawyer. These third parties could have different interests for your claim. For example, they may offer a settlement that doesn’t account for all of your damages. Auto accident attorneys are skilled negotiators who will protect your interests and ensure your settlement is fair.

How Can a Tennessee Accident Lawyer Help with Rental or Rideshare Accidents?

There are more mobility options than ever, thanks to the rise of the rental and ridesharing industries. However, the prevalence of rental cars and gig drivers on the roads can result in complex legal situations when a crash happens.

Drivers will typically get coverage through their insurance company when driving a rental car unless they choose to purchase a loss damage waiver from the rental company. Gig drivers need to carry additional coverage under Tennessee law, but ridesharing and delivery companies usually offer their own coverage in case drivers are underinsured.

Navigating an accident that involves a rental or rideshare driver can be challenging since there are multiple parties to contact. There have even been cases where the rental or rideshare company has shared some of the liability.

It is helpful to reach out to an experienced Tennessee accident lawyer if you find yourself in this situation. They will communicate with the parties involved and determine which insurer should cover the damages.

What's next?

Regardless of whether you settle your claim with insurance or a lawsuit, an auto accident lawyer can be a valuable tool for your recovery. Schedule a free consultation with a Tennessee accident lawyer to learn more about the recovery process and how they can help you.

But don't wait. Time may be running out to file your claim, so contact Accident.com right away.

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