Millions of Americans use cars of all sorts to get where they need to go every day. Unfortunately, that means that some number of those drivers will get into car accidents. Car accidents can lead to incredibly serious injuries that require emergency medical care and long-term treatment. Some injuries may even be life-altering and persist for the rest of your days. That prospect can be very upsetting to car accident victims.
If you were injured in a car accident, you need all the legal help you can get, which is where our lawyers come in. We have the professional skills and drive to keep fighting for you in court from the start of your legal battle all the way to the finish line.
Do not hesitate to call Howe Law at the number (844) 876-4357 to get a free review of your case from one of our Knoxville, TN car accident lawyers.
Why Do Car Accidents Happen in Farragut, TN?
Car crashes and accidents happen for many different reasons. While you may think that the only thing that matters is that the defendant injured you, the reasons that your car accident took place are actually very important to the success of your claim. That is because you can only collect damages from a defendant that actually caused your injuries, so nailing down the causes of your car accident is a critical part of your case.
Driver Negligence
One very common, if not the most common, cause of car crashes and accidents is driver negligence. A driver is negligent when they do something careless, and another person gets hurt as a result.
There are two primary ways that drivers can be negligent. First, drivers can be negligent by violating traffic laws. For example, if a driver speeds or drives drunk, they are violating traffic laws and are, therefore, negligent. Second, a driver can act in a way that does not necessarily violate a traffic law but is still dangerous and careless. Essentially, they have to fail to act as a reasonable driver would under the circumstances.
Designer/Manufacturer Negligence
Another reason for car accidents is an issue with the vehicle itself. In the legal world, these problems are known as “defects.” Generally, defects in vehicles are either design defects or manufacturing defects.
Design defects are problems that are deeply rooted in a vehicle’s makeup. Even a car built exactly to specifications that has a design defect will still be dangerous. An example of a design defect in a car would be a gas tank that is dangerously close to the passenger compartment, which is prone to combust.
Manufacturing defects are not baked into the design but come from a mistake made somewhere along the line. Examples of these kinds of defects include incorrectly installed airbags or improperly wired transmissions.
Poor Road Conditions
Finally, motor vehicle accidents may happen because the road is not well maintained. Potholes, broken guardrails, and uncleared debris can pose a hazard to motorists on the road. If your car accident happened for one of those reasons, you can file your claim against whoever is responsible for maintaining roads and keeping them safe.
What Can I Sue for in a Farragut, TN Car Accident Case
When you have our car accident lawyers file your claim, you ask the court for damages to help deal with your injuries. The overarching idea behind a personal injury case is to bring the plaintiff back to a similar spot to where they were before they got injured. Since that cannot always literally be done, financial compensation in the form of damages is used as a substitute. In your lawsuit, it can be helpful to categorize things you base your damages on.
Economic Damages
The most straightforward type of damages to understand is economic damages. These damages are based on things that can have their value readily displayed, like the cost of emergency surgery or long-term medical care.
In addition to medical expenses, you can also be awarded economic damages for lost potential income. First, you can get economic damages for income you could have earned when you were recovering from your injuries instead of working. Second, you can get damages depending on salary differences if you had to take a less lucrative job because of your injuries. Finally, if you are unable to work, you can be awarded damages based on your predicted income for what would have been the remainder of your working career.
Non-Economic Damages
These damages are based on things that do not have their value apparent right away. The most common item under this category is “pain and suffering,” which refers to the physical pain you experienced because of your car accident injuries as well as the mental and emotional toll those injuries can take. You can also get non-economic damages for what is called “lost enjoyment of life.” For example, if you were an avid outdoorsperson prior to getting injured, but doing those activities is now painful, difficult, or impossible due to your injuries, you can be compensated for that.
Since non-economic damages can be somewhat murky, it is the job of our lawyers to convince the jury of their value in your case.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are a special kind of damages that have special rules associated with them. Courts award punitive damages when defendants have done something especially bad. You need to prove more than that the defendant was merely negligent. Per T.C.A. § 29-39-104, you need to show that the defendant acted in a way that was intentional, fraudulent, malicious, or reckless to be eligible for punitive damages.
Call Our Farragut, TN Car Accident Attorneys
To have our team of car accident attorneys review your case, reach out to Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
