Warren County Personal Injury Lawyer
Accidents happen every day, some of them resulting in serious injuries. You could be driving along Smithville Highway when a distracted driver suddenly pulls into traffic, crashing into you. You could also trip and fall over an uncovered cable or hose in downtown McMinnville, or slip on a spill at the mall and break your ankle. These are all incidents that could force you to spend weeks in the hospital, pay thousands in medical bills, and lose out on months of wages.
If someone else’s carelessness or negligence caused your injuries, you may be able to sue them for compensation. Contact McMinnville personal injury lawyer John R. Colvin to discuss your legal options.
Why Trust John R. Colvin With Your Injury Claim?
John R. Colvin is a highly experienced Warren County personal injury lawyer. He has extensive experience representing injured clients and knows how to deal with insurance companies to maximize your claim. His legal acumen, dedication to excellent service, and commitment to honest, open communication have motivated many Warren County residents to trust him with their personal injury cases.
Other reasons include:
- Attorney Colvin has decades of experience representing people in all aspects of personal injury law.
- He fights hard for his clients, and it shows in his significant success rate.
- He handles all cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that if he does not secure a settlement for you, you owe no legal fees.
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our law firm today. Attorney Colvin will review your case and recommend the best strategy for moving forward.
When Can You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Any incident that results in both physical and financial damage to a victim is considered a personal injury. If someone owed you a duty of care and their failure to act accordingly left you physically, emotionally, and/or financially harmed, you can seek compensation from the at-fault party or parties.
Examples of someone who might owe you a duty of care include:
- A motor vehicle operator who is obligated to drive in a safe and responsible manner
- A homeowner who must keep their property safe for visitors
- A business that needs to keep the premises safe for customers
Depending on the circumstances of your accident in Warren County, you have several options for compensation. If you were in a car accident, you can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If they were uninsured or lack sufficient coverage, you can turn to your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
If you’ve been left with severe injuries because someone else was careless or negligent, a Warren County injury lawyer can help you recover by negotiating or litigating for the maximum compensation you need.
Types of Injury Lawsuits We Cover
Attorney John R. Colvin handles a wide range of personal injury cases in Warren County. They include but are not limited to:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Semi-truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Premises liability (e.g., slip and fall)
- Product liability
- Nursing home injuries
- Wrongful death (for fatal accidents)
Call our office for a free consultation if you’ve been in an accident that left you with compensable injuries. We care about your future and will handle the legal aspects of your claim while you focus on recovering.
Common Injuries in Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury cases can lead to debilitating injuries requiring months of recovery. Common types include:
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Severe burns
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputation
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
In some instances, these bodily injuries result in lifelong disabilities and need ongoing treatment. An experienced personal injury lawyer will work with your medical treatment providers and other experts to assign a value to your claim so that you cover your losses and have a degree of financial stability for the future.
When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Attorney in Warren County?
Although you’re not legally required to hire legal representation for a personal injury claim, doing so once you know you have compensable losses will give you a better chance of getting the financial recovery you need.
As soon as the insurance company responsible for compensating you learns about your accident, you’ll get a call from a claims adjuster. They will sound friendly and concerned, but they work for a business that protects its bottom line by paying as little as possible for personal injury claims. Even a simple comment like “I’m fine, thanks” may be used to diminish the value of your claim.
When you hire a legal counsel like John R. Colvin, you get a committed advocate who will protect your interests and fight to prevent the other side from sticking to lowball offers. If the insurer refuses to offer full and fair compensation, he will use his extensive litigation skills to pursue a favorable jury award at trial.
How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
You can claim many types of damages in a personal injury lawsuit. This financial compensation is intended to cover both economic and non-economic losses resulting from your injury. Depending on the nature and extent of your injuries, you may be able to claim the following:
- Medical expenses, both past and future
- Property damage
- Diminished earning potential and lost wages
- Rehabilitation treatments
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disability
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of consortium (for an injured spouse)
- Punitive damages for particularly reckless or harmful behavior
How much money you receive as an injured party will depend on multiple factors, including how badly you were hurt, the financial losses you incurred, and the anticipated impact of your injuries on the rest of your life. A jury may award up to $1 million in damages for catastrophic injuries, which include spinal cord injuries, severe burns, and wrongful death of a parent with surviving minor children.
With a few exceptions, Tennessee law limits a plaintiff’s non-economic damages in personal injury cases to $750,000. There is also a cap on punitive damages: these awards cannot exceed $500,000, or double your compensatory damages, unless you can show that the responsible party deliberately injured you, tried to hide their liability, and/or was under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at the time of the accident.
Speak with a Warren Co. injury lawyer about the specific damages available in your case. The amount of your settlement or award will depend on the value of your claimed losses, and an experienced attorney will fight for the maximum value of your case.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
Although going to court is always a possibility, most personal injury lawsuits are settled during one of the pre-trial phases. Warren County injury lawyer John Colvin always strives to avoid the time and expense of a trial, using his negotiation skills to get the settlement your case deserves. However, if the insurance provider refuses or fails to make a fair offer, he will present a compelling case to a jury. At all times, his goal will be to conclude your case as soon as possible, so that you get the money you and your family need during this difficult time.
What is the Statute of Limitations in Tennessee?
Compared to other states, Tennessee has a short statute of limitations at one year for auto accidents, bicycle accidents, and other accidents causing injury. This means that unless you file your personal injury or wrongful death claim within one year of your accident, you may be barred forever from seeking compensation. (The statute of limitations for property damage is three years.) Therefore, you want to get legal assistance from a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
There are some exceptions to the one-year deadline:
- You were a minor at the time you were injured. After you turn 18, you have one year to bring legal action.
- You have a pre-existing mental disability. If you were unable to understand your legal rights at the time of the accident, the clock may start once you regain the ability to understand those rights.
- The defendant could not be reached within the required time period. You will have to show that you made a good faith effort to find them first.
- You don’t become aware of the extent of your injuries within a year. This exception usually applies in medical malpractice cases.
Never assume that any exception will apply to your situation. If you have been injured, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible to learn how the statute of limitations applies in your case.
What if I Was Partly At Fault for My Accident?
Tennessee observes the modified comparative negligence rule for personal injury cases. This means that if you are partly to blame for your injuries, you can still claim compensation as long as you are no more than 49% responsible. At 50% or higher, you cannot file a lawsuit.
For example, if a judge or jury awards you $30,000 for your car accident but finds that you are 25% at fault, you will receive $22,500 instead. Consequently, many insurance companies try to exaggerate your share of the blame, in order to minimize the compensation they need to pay or even avoid the responsibility altogether. Attorney Colvin is familiar with this strategy and will take steps to prevent an insurer from denying you the compensation you deserve.
Injured? Get a Free Consultation From a Warren County Personal Injury Lawyer
When you trust Attorney John R. Colvin with your case, he understands the importance of acting quickly. He will immediately investigate, gather evidence against all negligent parties, and commence negotiations with the insurance company. If he can’t obtain a fair settlement, he will pursue your case in court. To learn more about our legal services or schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation about your personal injury claim, please call (931) 962-1044 (Winchester), (931) 962-1044 (Tullahoma) or use our online contact form.