Chattanooga Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Stats in Tennessee

A recent CDC study found Tennessee to be the second leading state in accidental deaths, behind only West Virginia. Tennessee saw 128 accidental deaths per 100,000 residents over a one-year span, which was 58% higher than the U.S. average. The study noted top causes of accidental deaths to be pedestrian injuries in traffic accidents, motorcycle collisions, falls, drowning incidents, accidental poisonings and exposure to uncontrolled fires.

The people of Chattanooga deserve justice for their injuries. At Montlick, you can find a Chattanooga personal injury lawyer to help if you or a loved one:

• Has been injured in a slip-and-fall in an environment that should have been kept clean and safe
• Has been the victim of medical malpractice
• Has been injured on the job and is having a difficult time recovering the workers’ compensation you are entitled to
• Has been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident
  • Commercial Trucks
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents

Financial stress should never compromise your body’s healing process. Take it easy – we’ll take it all on.

What Happened to Me Has Happened to Others. Will it Benefit Me to be Involved in a Class Action Lawsuit?

In a class action lawsuit, a plaintiff or a group of plaintiffs represent a larger group of people with similar legal claims against a particular defendant or group of defendants.

The reason that class action lawsuits can be helpful is that they put less of a burden on the court system than having to hear thousands of separate cases all involving the same claims. It also empowers plaintiffs with smaller claims to have a voice in combating abuses that are prevalent by some large companies.

Through strength in numbers, you can help hold corporations accountable for their wrongdoing against yourself and against society. Class actions help protect others in the future from a company perpetrating the same injustices. The personal injury lawyers at Montlick represent injured parties in order to help them obtain monetary compensation in a class action claim.

Examples of Different Types of Class Action Lawsuits:

• Defective products – dangerous products, vehicles, drugs and more
• Drug fraud and pricing fraud
• Insurance fraud
• Environmental hazards and exposure – companies that pollute and destroy.
• Employment discrimination – based on age, sex, race, religion and gender.
• Unfair business practices

Certification of Class Action Suits:

To have a class action lawsuit certified, the Lead Plaintiff and class action attorneys must show that the case meets several criteria:

• There is a legal claim against the defendant (s).
• The group who has been harmed is significantly large enough, has been injured in a similar way, and the cases of members of the class involve similar issues of fact and law as those of the case of the Lead Plaintiff (s).
  • A class action might not be certified if, for instance, people have suffered different kinds of side effects from a drug. These injury differences would require different evidence for the different class members.
• There is a Lead Plaintiff that can adequately represent the class and its members and they have a reasonable plan. The Lead Plaintiff must also have no conflict with other class members. This plaintiff must also represent the class in that they make sure that the damages that end up being awarded are fair and across the board.
• When the lawsuit is certified, the class of people involved is notified in the manner approved by the court, which may include mail, or email.

How Recovery is Divided

At the end of the class action lawsuit the court decides how to divide any recovery. The attorneys are generally allocated costs and fees and these are often a percentage of the total recovery. The Lead Plaintiff usually receives an amount that is determined in part by their participation in the lawsuit, and the rest of the recovery is often divided among the class members.

Damages a Chattanooga Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Claim

There are a few different ways the legal system has come up with to compensate you after an injury or wrongful death in the family. One of the best ways to recover all of the financial resources you are entitled to is to keep careful track of all expenses that come directly from an injury or wrongful death.

Contacting a Montlick attorney as soon as possible after the incident gives you an advantage in maintaining a strong case and keeping track of important paperwork. We’re here every step of the way to help you recover:

• Economic Damages: You can be reimbursed by the person or business responsible for an injury or death for all expenses related to it such as medical bills, prescriptions, co-pays, lost wages, or funeral and burial costs.
• Non-Economic Damages: The court may decide an amount of money you are owed that it deems is roughly equal to the pain and suffering or emotional distress you’ve gone through due to the injury.
• Punitive Damages. In some cases, the person or business at fault for the injury can face paying extra financial penalties to the plaintiff if they are found to have been acting in an egregiously reckless or negligent manner.

How Much Can I Receive in Compensation?

These are the payouts for common personal injury cases, per a Bureau of Justice study:

• The national median award for all cases is $31,000
• The national median award in motor vehicle personal injury cases is $16,000
• The national median award in premises liability cases was $90,000
• Intentional tort cases (meaning when a person knew their actions would likely result in someone getting hurt) had a median payout of $100,000
• Medical malpractice cases paid out an average of $679,000
• Product liability cases had a median payout of $748,000

Every personal injury victim’s path to justice is unique, and the state of Tennessee puts various limits on types of compensation victims can recover in different circumstances. For example, Tennessee law puts a cap on compensation for any noneconomic damages at $750,000. The cap is increased to $1,000,000,000 in “catastrophic” injuries such as spinal cord injuries or loss of limbs.

Wondering if You Need to Speak to a Chattanooga Personal Injury Lawyer ? Call For a Free Consultation!

If you need legal advice from a Chattanooga, TN personal injury lawyer after being hurt in an accident or losing a loved one to negligence, you can call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week at 1-800-LAW-NEED^® (1-800-529-6333) . You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.