If a pedestrian accident has caused harm to you or a loved one, or if a car has struck and permanently disabled or killed a loved one, reach out to Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, a committed personal injury lawyer. Our team comprises highly experienced personal injury trial lawyers with over 150 years of combined legal expertise.
We can help you. You do not have to wait until there is a conflict with an insurance company to talk with a Memphis pedestrian accident lawyer if your family is dealing with the aftermath of a serious injury or a wrongful death. Our pedestrian accident attorneys can work proactively to pursue the maximum compensation you deserve. Contact our office for a free consultation today to find out how much your case could be worth.
We Serve the Tri-State Area
Our attorneys have represented clients in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi for decades. We are proud to have established a proven record of success recovering significant verdicts and settlements for clients in a diverse range of personal injury and car accident cases.
We take on pedestrian accident cases involving:
- Fatalities
- Drunk drivers
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Crosswalk accidents
- Bicyclists
If a motor vehicle strikes you or a loved one, your first priority should be seeking the medical attention you need, not only to treat serious injuries but also to ensure the documentation of the accident’s results.
Following that, you need to seriously consider how our Memphis attorneys can assist you in maximizing the financial recovery owed by those responsible for the pedestrian accident, their insurance, and even your own insurance company.
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Liability for Pedestrian Accidents
Drivers have a duty to watch out for and not endanger the safety of pedestrians. Even at extremely low speeds, the potential damage of a car accident or collision involving someone walking in a crosswalk or a neighborhood can be devastating.
However, far too many drivers engage in negligent driving practices that can cause devastating and life-threatening injuries. Some examples of negligent driving that have been seen most often in pedestrian accidents include:
It should also be noted that drivers are not the only party responsible for causing pedestrian accidents. There are countless other parties who could be at fault for your injuries, depending on the circumstances of your case. Some of these parties include:
- Dram shops – Establishments that serve or sell all alcohol are referred to as dram shops. They can be found liable when they over-serve or sell alcohol to someone who is already under the influence, and that party causes a collision.
- Vehicle parts manufacturers – When auto parts are defective or malfunctioning, a driver may not be able to avoid striking a pedestrian. Vehicle parts manufacturers may hold accountability, while auto parts distributors, suppliers, and vehicle dealerships could also be liable.
- Government agencies – The road conditions could partially fault government agencies, municipalities, contractors, subcontractors, and other third parties if they prevented the driver from avoiding a crash, leading to pedestrian accidents caused by dangerous roads.
Your attorney will need to thoroughly investigate the cause of your Memphis pedestrian accident to uncover who is responsible for causing your injuries and compensating you for your damages.
How Shared Fault Works in Tennessee
It is increasingly common for pedestrians to be accused of sharing fault for their injuries when struck by a vehicle. In fact, sharing fault for your injuries is far more common than you might think. Perhaps you failed to use a crosswalk, were distracted by your cell phone while crossing the road or did not adhere to traffic signals.
No matter what the reasoning, liability does not prevent you from recovering economic and non-economic damages unless your portion of liability exceeds 50%. In Tennessee law, we call this modified comparative negligence. You can still recover compensation for your damages despite sharing fault, but expect that your injury settlement will be reduced to account for your portion of the liability.
For example, if you disregarded traffic signals and crossed the street when a don’t walk sign was flashing, the judge could assign 40% of the liability for causing your injuries when a distracted driver struck you. If the jury awarded you $500,000 for your damages, your compensation would be reduced by 40%. This would leave you with a final injury settlement of $300,000.
Sharing faults can significantly impact the amount of compensation awarded to you. For this reason, ensure you have a dedicated pedestrian accident attorney on your side who will accurately assess liability in your insurance and civil claims.
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How Pedestrian Accident Damages Are Paid Out
There are multiple ways in which pedestrian accident damages are paid out. First, if you are filing a personal injury claim with the insurance company, your insurance settlement will cover certain types and amounts of damages. The exact types and amounts of losses will vary depending on the amount of coverage purchased by the policyholder.
If the driver who hit you only carries the minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage under Tennessee law, $50,000 per accident, and your medical expenses exceed $50,000, the insurance company will only take you up to $50,000. Any remaining damages can be recovered, with the help of a Memphis pedestrian crash lawyer, through your civil claim.
Recoverable Damages in Pedestrian Accident Claims
When filing a pedestrian accident claim, it is important to go over every loss you suffered as a result of your pedestrian accident injuries and the accident itself. You have the right to be made whole when someone else is responsible for causing your injuries.
However, your attorney will need to closely evaluate your damages to quantify your non-economic damages accordingly. Since non-economic damages do not have a fixed monetary value the way economic damages do, you can expect your Memphis pedestrian collision lawyer to analyze your losses accordingly.
That said, courts frequently award certain types of pedestrian accident damages more than others. These include:
- Emotional distress
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical pain and suffering
- Property damages
- Dismemberment, disfigurement, and skin scarring
- Reputational damages
- Costs of increased insurance premiums
- Unexpected household expenses
- Unexpected childcare fees
- Inconvenience
- Medical equipment and expenses, both now and in the future
You might also receive punitive damages depending on the specifics of your case. Punitive damages are rare and are granted only if the civil courts deem the defendant’s actions abhorrent, reprehensible, or grossly negligent.
The courts are sending a message to the public by awarding punitive damages to a pedestrian accident victim, indicating that they need to punish the defendant and will not tolerate similar actions in the future.
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Time Limits for TN Pedestrian Accident Claims
Are you ready to move forward with your pedestrian accident claim? It is important to explore your legal options for financial recovery quickly.
This is because the statute of limitations for pedestrian accidents and personal injury claims in Tennessee is only one year. The sooner your Memphis attorney can start working on your pedestrian wreck case, the more likely it is that we can recover the evidence needed to establish fault.
Get Help from a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Memphis Today
When you have suffered critical or debilitating injuries in a pedestrian accident, and you do not know where to turn for help, reach out to a Memphis pedestrian accident lawyer at Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi for help. We do not charge legal fees unless we obtain a settlement or verdict on your behalf.
Schedule your no-cost, risk-free consultation as soon as today when you call our office or submit our quick contact form.
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