Lexis Nexis
Gary W. Starnes Attorney at Law
736 Georgia Avenue
Suite 404 Dome Bldg.
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone (800)281-2403
Fax (423) 266-7193
Email: gstarnes@volstate.net
Auto Accident Lawyer
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Auto Accidents
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In 2007 over 41,000 people were killed and nearly 2.5 million were injured in automobile accidents. With a United States population of over 300 million, it is estimated that nearly 1 person in 100 was injured in 2007, and well over 1 person out of every 10,000 was killed in auto accidents in that same year.
Look around you when you drive to work, or go shopping. Based on these statistics, it’s likely one of the people you see, possibly you, will be injured in an accident in the next twelve months. If that person were you or a family member, how would it affect your life? Without any doubt, a serious injury will put a halt to your life as you know it and dramatically impact your life and the lives of everyone close to you.
Since the only vehicle you can control is your own, you can only hope that other drivers drive safely. But we know from statistics that we’re all at risk from other drivers whether we’re in vehicles, on motorcycles or travelling as pedestrians. All drivers have a responsibility to follow both the motor vehicle laws and common sense. Failure to do so may constitute negligence or reckless conduct.
In Tennessee and Georgia, if you are injured as a result of another driver’s negligence you may be entitled to claim damages–monetary reimbursement for your injuries and losses. These can include medical bills (treatment for injuries, pain and suffering,) mental anguish, financial losses such as present and future wages, property losses, and even punitive damages.
Protecting Your Rights
Documentation is crucial following an automobile accident or any other type of personal injury claim such as a truck accident or work-related accident. What’s documented will carry more weight than the undocumented testimony of witnesses, though in the absence of information to the contrary, witness’ oral testimony can influence a determination. If you are seriously injured and taken to the hospital by ambulance, you may have to rely on police reports, and information gathered by others.
If you are able to gather any information yourself, you should do this immediately. Be sure to get copies of or information from:
- Police reports
- Incident reports
- Names of the other driver(s)
- Driver(s) contact information
- Driver’s license numbers of all involved drivers
- Vehicle descriptions for all vehicles involved
- License plate numbers
- Insurance information
- Registration information from the vehicle registration card
- Name, address and telephone numbers of witnesses
If you are unable to get this information personally, try to arrange for a passenger, friend or family to do so as soon after the accident as possible. Keep a camera in the car for this reason, along with a form that will guide you to collect the names and contact information of witnesses, and a brief statement of what they witnessed. Have them write this out in their own words and sign it, if possible. Take pictures of damages, where auto parts may have landed, skid marks, stop signs, lighting, important contributing factors, and indications of the severity of the accident, injuries and causes.
Insurance companies work hard to avoid paying claims. They have teams of specialists who know what to look for to protect their company’s interests. Questions such as, “Should I give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster,” or, “Should I sign a release of claim for their offer of settlement,” are best answered after consulting an experienced auto accident attorney.
For a complimentary evaluation of your accident claim , please contact our experienced auto accident lawyer, Gary Starnes, Attorney at Law, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. You can also call 1-800-281-2403 to schedule an appointment. Mr. Starnes serves clients in Tennessee and Georgia.