Pulaski Car Accident Lawyer

Pulaski, Tennessee has a rich and colorful history. The town was named after one of only seven individuals to receive honorary citizenship in the United States: Kazimierz Pulaski, a Polish patriot who played a crucial role in saving George Washington’s life during the American Revolutionary War. Today, Pulaski is widely known as the “Wild Turkey Capital of Tennessee,” after its large turkey population.

Whether you live and work in Pulaski or come to the area once a year for the Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt, there’s always the chance that you’ll be injured in a car accident. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, between 2016 and 2020 there were 4,322 motor vehicle accidents in Giles County, killing 42 people and leaving 1,046 injured.

In Pulaski, fatal automobile accidents occurred at the following intersections between 2010 and 2020:

Brindley Drive at Mill Street (1 person killed in 2017)
Vales Mill Road at Mill Street (1 person killed in 2012)
Vales Mill Road at Miles Road (1 person killed in 2011)

If you have been injured by the careless actions of a negligent or intoxicated driver, you deserve a Pulaski personal injury lawyer who will fight for the compensation you are entitled to. John R. Colvin, Attorney at Law, serves clients throughout Giles County from offices in Winchester and Tullahoma. At our law firm, we always provide free initial consultations, and we take cases on a contingency basis, meaning that we do not charge a fee unless we are able to recover money on your behalf.

How a Pulaski Car Accident Lawyer Can Help Your Case

Many accident victims are eligible for compensation to help cover medical expenses, lost income, and other accident-related expenses. However, many of them accept settlements that are far less than their full claim value because they do not have an aggressive attorney advocating for them. The at-fault driver’s insurance company is unlikely to offer you the full value of your claim unless you show that you intend to pursue it in court.

Once your car accident lawyer evaluates the specifics of your case, you will learn your legal options and be better informed about how much your claim is worth. When you work with a lawyer like John R. Colvin, you can maximize your compensation and avoid being pressured into settling for less than you are entitled to. Attorney Colvin is both a skilled negotiator and experienced litigator who will demand a fair settlement and fight for the best results in your case.

Proving Fault in a Pulaski Car Accident Case

Tennessee is an at-fault state. This means that if a driver is found liable for your auto accident, they will be financially and legally responsible for your damages and injuries. Their insurance company will cover all expenses up to their policy limit- after that, they can be required to pay the rest.

Establishing fault in an auto accident is key to collecting compensation for injuries, wage loss, and property damage. There are times when proving negligence is comparatively easy – a drunk driver, for example, is clearly negligent if they strike and injure someone else. Other times, it can be more complicated.

Tennessee applies a modified comparative negligence rule in car accident cases. This means that if you are 49% or less at fault for your accident, you can still recover your financial losses, but your compensation will be reduced in accordance with your percentage of fault. If a judge or jury concludes you are 50% or more responsible, you won’t be able to recover compensation at all.

This modified comparative negligence law has motivated many insurance companies to wrongly claim that injury victims were over 50% responsible for their injuries. As your car accident attorney, John R. Colvin can assist you in proving fault and presenting the strongest possible case.

Compensation From a Car Accident Claim

Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may be able to claim compensation for the following:

Current medical bills
Future medical expenses
Lost income
Reduced or lost earning capacity
Property damage
Emotional distress
Pain and suffering
Scarring and disfigurement
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of consortium

In some instances, punitive damages may be available. Unlike the compensatory damages listed above, they are intended to punish the wrongdoer instead of compensate the victim. Punitive damages may be appropriate if, for example, you were seriously injured by a drunk driver with a history of DUI. Your Pulaski, TN car accident lawyer will advise you whether these damages are an option in your case.

Common Types of Car Accidents in Pulaski, TN

Below is an overview of the various car accident cases we handle in Pulaski.

Head-On Collisions: In a head-on collision, both vehicles’ front ends crash into each other. It is most commonly caused by drunk, drowsy, or distracted drivers, although they can also occur if a driver experiences a medical emergency such as a heart attack or seizure.
Rear-End Accidents: A rear-end collision occurs when the front end of one car collides with the rear end of another. The driver who strikes the rear end of another vehicle is almost always found at fault. The most common cause of this type of accident is tailgating.
Hit-and-Run Accidents: Many drivers who cause accidents flee the scene for fear of getting into trouble for driving while intoxicated or driving without a license. If you got the make and model of the vehicle or the license plate number, you may be able to track down the driver.
Sideswipe Accidents: When two vehicles are traveling parallel to each other and their sides touch, this type of accident occurs. When one or both drivers lose control of their vehicles, catastrophic injuries may result.
T-Bone Accidents: These types of traffic accidents occur when the front of one car strikes the side of another. A typical cause is a failure to yield at an intersection, although they often happen in parking lots too.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents: Multiple-vehicle accidents usually occur on overcrowded freeways and highways. It can be difficult to determine who caused the accident, and many times more than one driver is at fault. Fires caused by spilled fuel can cause further complications.

In car accidents, injuries may include:

Broken bones
Cuts and lacerations
Burns
Organ damage
Internal bleeding
Spinal cord injury
Traumatic brain injury
Wrongful death

In especially severe cases, death or permanent disability may result. An experienced car wreck lawyer will assign a value to your claim that accurately reflects your economic and non-economic damages so that you get the monetary compensation you need to recover.

What Should You Do After a Car Accident?

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, try to remain calm and call 911. If you and your passengers don’t appear to be injured, turn on your hazard lights and exit your vehicle to examine the damage. If anyone indicates that they are injured at any time, do not move them. Instead, wait for the police and ambulance to arrive.

If you can, exchange your driver’s license and insurance information with the party who hit you and take pictures of the accident scene. If you’re too injured to do so safely, ask a bystander for assistance and have them email or text all information to you. Whatever you do, don’t admit fault or discuss blame at the scene with anyone, as your words could be used to minimize or deny your compensation later.

When the police reach the scene, they will create a report that you can use as evidence in your personal injury claim. If you don’t think you’ve been injured, seek medical care anyway, as some injuries aren’t immediately symptomatic. Once you know for sure that you’ve been injured, contact a Pulaski personal injury attorney who can help you seek fair compensation from the insurance company for the at-fault party.

When Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

In Tennessee, there is a one-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. This means that with few exceptions, you have only a year from the date of your accident to file a claim for compensation. That isn’t a lot of time compared to other states, and if you don’t take action within that time frame, your personal injury lawsuit may be barred.

This is one of the reasons why you should contact an accident attorney as soon as you know that you’ve been injured. Your personal injury attorney can make sure that your claim is filed on time and that it includes all economic and non-economic damages you sustained.

What Is Your Car Accident Case Worth?

With car accident claims, value is assigned after considering a number of factors. They include but may not be limited to:

The type of injury or injuries
The severity of your injuries
Whether or not the accident left you partially or completely disabled
The current and projected cost of medical treatment
Whether you were at fault for the accident and, if so, to what degree
Your age and current health

If you suffered a traumatic brain injury, your claim value will probably be much higher than if you sustained a broken arm. Similarly, if you are in your 20’s and left permanently disabled, your claim may be worth more than if you are in your 60’s and retired, as you may be owed compensation for all those years of lost income. Attorney John R. Colvin can explain the factors that will go into valuing your case and seek maximum compensation for your injuries.

Speak to a Pulaski Car Accident Lawyer About Your Case

When you suffer serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident, the aftermath can be devastating. You may have to deal with a lengthy recovery, daily pain, stubborn insurers, and the inability to work or care for family members, among other challenges. Don’t face these difficult times all alone. Let our law firm fight for you.

John R. Colvin, Attorney at Law, represents injured people in Pulaski and throughout Giles County. With more than 25 years of experience in Tennessee personal injury law, he is well-equipped to take on the biggest insurance companies – and win. To schedule a no-obligation initial consultation about your car accident claim, please call (931) 962-1044 (Winchester), (931) 962-1044 (Tullahoma), or contact us online.