Trust Your Tennessee Personal Injury Lawyer to Track Important Deadlines
There are safety threats all around you as you go through your daily routine around Nashville, including the risk of traffic accidents, slips and falls, work-related incidents, and many others. However, statistics from theUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put things into perspective in terms of the dangers. Accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in the US, causing almost 225,000 fatalities every year. Another 24.2 victims head to the ER for treatment of unintentional injuries, while 24.8 million people visit their physicians’ offices for care.
Fortunately, Tennessee personal injury laws protect your interests if you were hurt in an accident. You can file a claim for monetary damages, enabling you to recoup your losses. There are deadlines to note, and the most important is the statute of limitations. You can rely on yourNashville personal injury attorney to meet all essential legal requirements, but it is helpful to understand how the law works.
Overview of Tennessee’s Statute of Limitations
All US states have a time restriction on filing personal injury lawsuits, and the statute of limitations in Tennessee is one year. The clock starts running on the date of the accident. If you do not file a lawsuit in court before the deadline expires, you are forever barred from recovering any compensation.
There is an exception under the Tennessee discovery rule, which mainly applies to medical malpractice cases. If the victim did not discover the injuries and could not have discovered them through due diligence, the statute of limitations is extended.
In addition, the statute of limitations works differently with victims who are children. Minors do not have legal capacity, so they cannot sue in court. Therefore, the statute of limitations begins to run when the victim turns 18 years old.
Steps in the Legal Process
Tennessee’s one-year statute of limitations is among the shortest nationwide, but 12 months still seems like a long time to some people. When you realize the steps involved with pursuing a personal injury claim, you will see how time is of the essence for taking action. A typical accident case proceeds as follows:
- Investigating and gathering evidence that the at-fault party was negligent in causing the accident;
- Obtaining and reviewing all medical records to prepare a demand for the insurance company;
- Completing forms and submitting all supporting documents for an insurance claim;
- Discussing settlement with the insurer in an attempt to reach an agreement out of court;
- Participating in mediation, which is a legal process intended to help parties get closer on an agreement; and,
- Filing a complaint in court to initiate litigation.
A Nashville Personal Injury Lawyer Will Guide You Through the Process
A one-year statute of limitations seems like plenty of time, but quick action also ensures you receive payment promptly. To learn more about the legal process, please contact Bednarz Law in Nashville. You can schedule a no-cost case assessment with a Tennessee PI attorney by calling 615-256-0100 orvisiting our website.
